Enteroxenos is a genus of very small parasitic sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Eulimidae.[1]
| Enteroxenos | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
| Order: | Littorinimorpha |
| Family: | Eulimidae |
| Genus: | Enteroxenos Bonnevie, 1902 |
| Type species | |
| Enteroxenos ostergreni Bonnevie, 1902
| |
| Synonyms | |
|
Enteroxenus | |
Description
editThese small snails have no mouth or gut, and absorb nutrients through their body wall. These odd animals look much more like worms than snails, but the larval form is a veliger, which is characteristic of mollusks.
Species
editSpecies within this genus include the following:
- Enteroxenos bouvieri (Risbec, 1953)
- Enteroxenos muelleri (Semper, 1868)
- Enteroxenos oestergreni Bonnevie, 1902
- Enteroxenos parastichopoli (Tikasingh, 1961)
- Species brought into synonymy
- Enteroxenos ostergreni (Bonnevie, 1902): synonym of Enteroxenos oestergreni (Bonnevie, 1902)
Reproduction
editThe female is significantly larger than the male and may grow up to 15 cm (6 in) in length. The females become hosts to the smaller males, which then fertilise their eggs.
References
edit- ^ Bonnevie, 1902. Gofas, S.; Le Renard, J.; Bouchet, P. (2001). Mollusca, in: Costello, M.J. et al. (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels, 50: pp. 180-213 (look up in IMIS). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=137966 on 2013-01-18.
External links
edit- First page of a 1964 paper in Transactions of American Microscopical Society about a species in this genus
- The original 1902 paper (in German) describing the species
- Nomenclator Zoologicus info on the genus
- To World Register of Marine Species