Littorininae, Children, 1834

Reid, David G., 2009, The genus Echinolittorina Habe, 1956 (Gastropoda: Littorinidae) in the western Atlantic Ocean 2184, Zootaxa 2184 (1), pp. 1-103 : 12-13

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.2184.1.1

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03D3606F-A501-FF98-FF26-FAAFFA09F869

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Littorininae
status

 

Key to the Littorininae View in CoL of the tropical and subtropical western Atlantic

Although the genus Echinolittorina is a well-defined monophyletic group in molecular phylogenetic analyses, there are no known morphological synapomorphies. Shells are convergent with those of several other littorinid genera. To minimize confusion, the following key includes all 17 littorinine species that have been recorded from the tropical and subtropical western Atlantic region, belonging to the genera Echinolittorina , Tectarius , Littoraria and Cenchritis . Discrimination is based primarily on easily observable characters of the shell, with the addition of diagnostic characters of the penis and pallial oviduct. References to figures of shells and penes of all species are given, together with information on distribution and habitat.

1 Nodulose or granulose .................................................................................................................................................. 2

- Spiral ribs or grooves, or smooth .................................................................................................................................. 5

2 Grey to white; white aperture; 15–30 mm; 4 rows of granules on spire whorls; paucispiral operculum (opercular ratio OR 0.61–0.65); penis without glands ( Reid 1989: fig. 6m); multispiral pallial oviduct. Bermuda, Bahamas, Florida, Caribbean. Wood and rocks ......................................... Cenchritis muricatus ( Linnaeus, 1758) View in CoL ( Bequaert 1943: pl. 1)

- Grey brown; brown aperture with basal white band; nodulose sculpture..................................................................... 3

3 12–20 mm; 2 rows of pointed tubercles on last whorl; multispiral operculum (OR 0.78–0.81); penis with 3–4 mamilliform penial glands ( Reid 1989: fig. 7a). Bahamas, Florida, Greater Antilles. Rocks ....................................... .............................................. Tectarius (Tectininus) antonii ( Philippi, 1846 b) View in CoL ( Bandel & Kadolsky 1982: figs 56–59)

- 6–23 mm; 2–4 rows of rounded or pointed nodules on last whorl; paucispiral operculum (OR 0.53–0.66) .............. 4

4 2–3 rows of rounded or pointed nodules on last whorl; OR = 0.60–0.66. Bermuda, Bahamas, Florida, Caribbean. Rocks .................................................................................................................................. E. tuberculata View in CoL ( Figs 31 View FIGURE 31 , 32 View FIGURE 32 )

- 4 rows of rounded, white nodules on black shell; OR = 0.53–0.64. Oceanic islands off Brazil. Rocks ........................ .................................................................................................................................................. E. vermeiji View in CoL ( Figs 35 View FIGURE 35 , 36 View FIGURE 36 )

5 Small, 3–9 mm; smooth with single incised line at periphery; narrow or wide pseudumbilicus; penis lacking glands ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 6

- Large,> 10 mm; spiral ribs or grooves; no pseudumbilicus; penis with glands........................................................... 7

6 High-turbinate; brown with white spots or lines; deep pseudumbilicus. Bermuda, Bahamas, Florida, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean. Rocks, algae ............................................................................................................ E. meleagris View in CoL ( Figs 3 View FIGURE 3 , 4 View FIGURE 4 )

- Globular; brown, or white with black dots; narrow pseudumbilicus. Bermuda, Bahamas, Florida, Caribbean. Rocks, algae ......................................................................................................................................... E. mespillum View in CoL ( Figs 7 View FIGURE 7 , 8 View FIGURE 8 )

7 Aperture cream, yellow or with external pattern showing through; penis without mamilliform penial glands; multispiral pallial oviduct or ovoviviparous. Rocks, grass, wood and mangroves ..................................... Littoraria View in CoL 8

- Aperture brown with white band at base and sometimes at shoulder; penis with single mamilliform penial gland and glandular disc. Rocks ................................................................................................................................................. 12

8 ≥ 30 fine grooves on last whorl..................................................................................................................................... 9

- ≤ 26 strong grooves on last whorl ............................................................................................................................... 10

9 To 40 mm; 30–45 grooves on last whorl; cream with or without brown lines and dashes; columella wide, flat, white to lilac and stained brown; penis bifurcate, small filament ( Reid 1986: fig. 4f). Gulf of Mexico, Florida, Caribbean, to French Guyana. Driftwood, mangroves, sheltered rocks ........................................................................................... ........................................................................... Littoraria nebulosa ( Lamarck, 1822) View in CoL ( Bequaert 1943: pl. 4, figs 1–4)

- To 24 mm; 48–75 grooves on last whorl; thin-shelled; colour polymorphic; columella narrow, excavated, brown to purple; penis bifurcate, large filament ( Reid 1986: fig. 4o); ovoviviparous (embryos in mantle cavity). Bermuda, Florida, Gulf of Mexico, Bahamas, Caribbean, to Brazil. Mangroves, sheltered rocks ................................................ ...................................................................................... Littoraria angulifera ( Lamarck, 1822) View in CoL ( Reid 1986: fig. 99d–f)

10 Fine, chocolate brown tessellation or oblique lines; 23–25 grooves on last whorl; columella wide, flat, lilac to purple brown; penis bifurcate, vermiform filament, closed sperm duct ( Reid 1986: fig. 4h). Bahamas, Florida, Caribbean. Driftwood, mangroves, sheltered rocks .......... Littoraria tessellata (Philippi, 1847) View in CoL ( Bequaert 1943: pl. 4, figs 8–10)

- Cream, with or without brown dots ............................................................................................................................ 11

11 To 20 mm; 16–26 grooves on last whorl; columella thick, excavated, brown; penis not bifurcate, vermiform filament, closed sperm duct ( Reid 1986: fig. 4i). Caribbean to Brazil. Mangroves, rocks ............................................ .................................................................... Littoraria flava ( King & Broderip, 1832) View in CoL ( Bequaert 1943: pl. 4, figs 5–7)

- To 30 mm; 20–22 strong grooves on last whorl; thick shell; columella thick, not excavated, orange brown; penis not bifurcate, open sperm groove ( Reid 1986: fig. 4m). New Jersey to NE Florida, N Gulf of Mexico. Salt marshes ...... .................................................................................................... Littoraria irrorata ( Say, 1822) View in CoL ( Bequaert 1943: pl. 2)

12 To 29 mm; high turbinate, rounded periphery; 8–10 primary grooves on spire whorls; 40–60 fine grooves on last whorl; white, with or without dark axial lines; penis with very large mamilliform penial gland filling the wrinkled base. Bermuda, Bahamas, Florida, Caribbean ........................................................................... E. ziczac View in CoL ( Figs 14 View FIGURE 14 , 15 View FIGURE 15 )

- <20 mm; slightly to strongly angled periphery; 6–10 primary grooves on spire whorls; <35 grooves on last whorl; black-and-white pattern; penis with small mamilliform penial gland on branch of base .......................................... 13

13 Wide grooves on last whorl (0.5–1 times rib width); 6–8 primary grooves on spire whorls; penis with obliquely wedge-shaped tip and subterminal opening of sperm groove. Bermuda, Bahamas, Florida, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean ........................................................................................................................... E. jamaicensis View in CoL ( Figs 18 View FIGURE 18 , 19 View FIGURE 19 )

- Incised or faint lines; 6–10 primary grooves on spire whorls; penis with terminal opening of sperm groove........... 14

14 Tall; flat-sided spire; sharp peripheral keel; 6–7 primary grooves on spire whorls; OR 0.52–0.57. Bermuda, Bahamas, Florida, Caribbean ................................................................................................ E. angustior View in CoL ( Figs 27 View FIGURE 27 , 28 View FIGURE 28 )

- Slightly rounded whorls; slightly angled periphery; 7–10 primary grooves on spire whorls; OR 0.34–0.54 ............ 15

15 9–10 primary grooves on spire whorls; OR 0.45–0.54; penis with swollen pointed filament. Brazil, Uruguay............ ................................................................................................................................................. E. lineolata View in CoL ( Figs 10 View FIGURE 10 , 11 View FIGURE 11 )

- 7–10 primary grooves on spire whorls; OR 0.34–0.44; penis with glandular thickening at base of filament only ... 16

16 Whorls slightly rounded; 8–10 primary grooves on spire whorls; spiral black band on spire and usually last whorl. Caribbean Sea, on continental shores of mainland and high islands ................................... E. interrupta View in CoL ( Figs 22 View FIGURE 22 , 23 View FIGURE 23 )

- Whorls rounded; 7–8 primary grooves on spire whorls; spiral black band on spire but absent on last two whorls. Gulf of Mexico, Florida to N Carolina, tolerates sheltered and turbid conditions ....... E. placida View in CoL new species ( Figs 25 View FIGURE 25 , 26 View FIGURE 26 )

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