Rhinoclavis is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Cerithiidae, the ceriths.[2]

Rhinoclavis
Apertural view of a shell of Rhinoclavis vertagus.
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Family: Cerithiidae
Subfamily: Cerithiinae
Genus: Rhinoclavis
Swainson, 1840[1]
Species

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Synonyms[2]
  • Cerithium (Semivertagus) Cossmann, 1889
  • Clava Fabricius, 1823
  • Ochetoclava Woodring, 1928
  • Vertagus Schumacher, 1817

This species is of medium to large size, measuring between 2 and 3½ inches. It has a sturdy and thick body with a regular conical spire that is very high and turreted. The whorls are almost flat, and the suture is only weakly incised. The almond-shaped aperture has a slightly tapered lip, but it is never sharp.[3]

Occurrence

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Species in this genus occur throughout the Indo-Pacific, the Marshall Islands, the Solomon Islands, the Philippines, Australia and the Gulf of Aqaba. These deposit-feeding gastropods can be found in clearer shallow water in coral reefs, preferring sandy to muddy bottoms.

Species

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According to the World Register of Marine Species (WORMS), Rhinoclavis consists of the following subgenera and species:[2]

Species brought into synonymy
  • Rhinoclavis aluco (Linnaeus, 1758): synonym of Pseudovertagus aluco (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Rhinoclavis articulata (A. Adams & Reeve, 1850): synonym of Rhinoclavis (Rhinoclavis) articulata (A. Adams & Reeve, 1850)
  • Rhinoclavis asper: synonym of Rhinoclavis (Rhinoclavis) aspera (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Rhinoclavis aspera (Linnaeus, 1758): synonym of Rhinoclavis (Rhinoclavis) aspera (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Rhinoclavis bituberculata (G.B. Sowerby II, 1866): synonym of Rhinoclavis (Rhinoclavis) bituberculata (G.B. Sowerby II, 1866)
  • Rhinoclavis brettinghami Cernohorsky, 1974: synonym of Rhinoclavis (Rhinoclavis) brettinghami Cernohorsky, 1974
  • Rhinoclavis diadema Houbrick, 1978: synonym of Rhinoclavis (Rhinoclavis) diadema Houbrick, 1978
  • Rhinoclavis fasciata (Bruguière, 1792): synonym of Rhinoclavis (Rhinoclavis) fasciata (Bruguière, 1792)
  • Rhinoclavis mountfordae Cotton, 1964: synonym of Rhinoclavis (Rhinoclavis) fasciata (Bruguière, 1792)
  • Rhinoclavis nobilis (Reeve, 1855): synonym of Pseudovertagus nobilis (Reeve, 1855)
  • Rhinoclavis obeliscus (Bruguière, 1792): synonym of Rhinoclavis (Rhinoclavis) sinensis (Gmelin, 1791)
  • Rhinoclavis pulchra (A. Adams in G.B. Sowerby II, 1855): synonym of Rhinoclavis (Rhinoclavis) brettinghami Cernohorsky, 1974
  • Rhinoclavis sordidula (Gould, 1849): synonym of Rhinoclavis (Proclava) sordidula (Gould, 1849)

References

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  1. ^ Swainson W. J. (1840). Treat. Malacol. 157, 315.
  2. ^ a b c Gofas, S. (2012). Rhinoclavis. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=137762 on 2012-07-12
  3. ^ Sabelli, Bruno (1980). Simon and Schuster's Guide to Shells. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-0-671-25320-2.

Further reading

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  • Houbrick, R.S. 1978. The family Cerithiidae in the Indo-Pacific. Part 1. The genera Rhinoclavis, Pseudovertagus and Clavocerithium. Monographs of Marine Mollusca 1:1–130. The names mentioned can be found at OBIS: Indo Pacific Molluscan database
  • Vaught, K.C. (1989). A classification of the living Mollusca. American Malacologists: Melbourne, FL (USA). ISBN 0-915826-22-4. XII, 195 pp
  • 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
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