Vasinae | |
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A live but retracted individual of Vasum rhinoceras in a tide pool in Mombasa, Kenya, Africa | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Gastropoda |
Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
Order: | Neogastropoda |
Superfamily: | Turbinelloidea |
Family: | Turbinellidae |
Subfamily: |
Vasinae H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853 (1840) |
Type genus | |
Vasum Röding, 1798 | |
Synonyms [1] | |
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Vasinae, common name the vase snails or vase shells, are a taxonomic sub family of large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks within the family Turbinellidae. [1]
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. [2]
Genera within the subfamily Vasinae include: