Vasidae Explained

Vasidae, common name the vase snails or vase shells, are a taxonomic family of large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks within the superfamily Turbinelloidea. ^[1]

Before 2024 it was considered as a subfamily of the Turbinellidae. ^[2]

Shell description

The radula on the lingual membrane occur in three series, the central recurved, toothed at the tip, the lateral not versatile; the central tooth is broad, few-toothed; the lateral teeth are narrow, strong, with a single large denticle. The mantle is enclosed, with a straight siphon.

The operculum is ovate, acute, with the nucleus apical.

The shell is more or less turbinate, with plaits on the middle of the columella.

Shells of species in this subfamily are fairly large, very thick, and heavy. The shells have low spires and have plaits on the columella. ^[3]

Genera

Genera within the subfamily Vasinae include:

• Altivasum Hedley, 1914
• Aristovasum Vermeij, 2024
• Enigmavasum Poppe & Tagaro, 2005: belongs to Neogastropoda incertae sedis (Superfamily)
• † Fyfea Finlay & Marwick, 1937: belongs to the Turbinellidae
• Globivasum Abbott, 1950
• † Hystrivasum Olsson & Petit, 1964 †
• Rhinovasum Vermeij, 2024
• Siphovasum Rehder & Abbott, 1950
• Tudivasum Rosenberg & Petit, 1987
• Vasum Röding, 1798
• Volutella G. Perry, 1810

Synonyms:

• Cynodonta Schumacher, 1817: synonym of Vasum Röding, 1798
• Globivasum Abbott, 1950: synonym of Vasum Röding, 1798
• Scolymus Swainson, 1835: synonym of Vasum Röding, 1798
• Tudicula H. Adams & A. Adams, 1864: synonym of Tudivasum Rosenberg & Petit, 1987 (junior homonym of Tudicula Ryckholt, 1862)
• Volutella Perry, 1810: synonym of Vasum Röding, 1798

External links

• Book: Adams, H. & Adams, A. . The genera of Recent Mollusca; arranged according to their organization . 1853–1858 . van Voorst . London . vol 1: 155 . 10 September 2024.
• Swainson, W. (1840). A treatise on malacology or shells and shell-fish. London, Longman. viii + 419 pp
• MacDonald . J.D. . Further observations on the metamorphosis of Gasteropoda, and the affinities of certain genera, with an attempted distribution of the principal families of the order . Transactions of the Linnean Society of London . 1860 . 23 . 1 . 81 .
• Abbott R.T.(1950) - The Genera Xancus and Vasum in the Western Atlantic; Johnsonia v. 2 19-32
• Abbott, R. T. (1959). The family Vasidae in the Indo-Pacific. Indo-Pacific Mollusca. 1 (1): 15-32
• Bouchet, P. & Rocroi, J.-P. (2005). Classification and nomenclator of gastropod families. Malacologia. 47 (1-2): 1-397.

Notes and References

1. MolluscaBase eds. (2024). MolluscaBase. Vasidae H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=196299 on 2024-09-10
2. Vermeij . G.J. . Shell-based genus-level reclassification of the family Vasidae (Mollusca: Neogastropoda). . Zootaxa . 2024 . 5405 . 4 . 526–544 . 10.11646/zootaxa.5405.4.3 . 38480172 . 10 September 2024.
3. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/3782650 Adams, H. & Adams, A. (1853-1858). The genera of Recent Mollusca; arranged according to their organization. London, van Voorst. Vol. 1: xl + 484 pp.; vol. 2: 661 pp.; vol. 3: 138 pls