Astraea (gastropod)

Astraea is a genus of medium to large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Turbinidae, the turban snails.[2]

Astraea
Temporal range:
a shell of Astraea heliotropium
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Vetigastropoda
Order: Trochida
Superfamily: Trochoidea
Family: Turbinidae
Genus: Astraea
Röding, 1798[1]
Type species
Trochus imperialis
Gmelin, 1791
Synonyms[2]
  • Astrea Link, 1807 (misspelling)
  • Canthorbis Swainson, 1840
  • Imperator Montfort, 1810
Fossil Bolma rugosa with signs of crab predation; Pliocene of Cyprus.
Fossil shell of Astraea fimbriata from Pliocene of Italy.

Etymology

The Latin genus Astraea means star, with reference to the star-shape of these snails, also commonly called star shells.[3]

Description

Shells of species within this genus can reach a size of about 60 millimetres (2.4 in). They have the appearance of a smooth conical shell. The outer edges of the coiled whorls are quite flattened, with prominent axial sculpture . Below widely it is umbilicate and concave.[3]

Species

Extant species within this genus include:[4]

Fossil records

This genus is known in the fossil records from the Paleocene to the Quaternary (age range: from 61.7 to 0.0 million years ago). Fossils of species within this genus have been found in the sediments of Europe, Australia, United States, Japan, Venezuela, Colombia and Brazil.[5]

Extinct species

Extinct species within this genus include:[5]

  • †Astraea (Liotiastralium) venezuelana Weisbord 1962
  • †Astraea (Pomaulax) gradata Grant and Gale 1931
  • †Astraea (Pomaulax) morani Loel and Corey 1932
  • †Astraea (Vitiastraea) holmesi Ladd 1966
  • † Astraea bicarinata Suter, 1917
  • †Astraea fimbriata Borson 1821[6]
  • †Astraea stellare Gmelin 1791
  • † Astraea stirps Laws, 1932
  • †Astraea tentoriiformis Jonas 1844
Species brought into synonymy

References
  1. Röding P. F. (1798). Museum Boltenianum sive catalogus cimeliorum e tribus regnis naturæ quæ olim collegerat Joa. Fried Bolten, M. D. p. d. per XL. annos proto physicus Hamburgensis. Pars secunda continens conchylia sive testacea univalvia, bivalvia & multivalvia. pp. [1-3], [1-8], 1-199. Hamburg. page 79.
  2. Bouchet, P. (2012). Astraea Röding, 1798. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=206461 on 2012-03-15
  3. Reefkeeping
  4. "World Register of Marine Species". Astraea Röding, 1798. 2009. Retrieved 21 February 2010.
  5. Fossilworks
  6. Fossile
  • Gofas, S.; Afonso, J.P.; Brandào, M. (Ed.). (S.a.). Conchas e Moluscos de Angola = Coquillages et Mollusques d'Angola. [Shells and molluscs of Angola]. Universidade Agostinho / Elf Aquitaine Angola: Angola. 140 pp.
  • Williams, S.T. (2007). Origins and diversification of Indo-West Pacific marine fauna: evolutionary history and biogeography of turban shells (Gastropoda, Turbinidae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2007, 92, 573–592
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