Acteonidae


Acteonidae, common name the "barrel bubble snails", is a family of small sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks of the informal group Lower Heterobranchia.

Shell description

The shell is usually smaller than 25 mm. The shell of these sand-dwelling micromollusks is small, but it is large enough to house the retracted soft parts including the entire mantle.
The aperture is elongated. The narrow shell aperture, which is ovate and pointed on the top, can be closed with an operculum.
The thick shell is oviform to, with a short conical apex. They have spiral sculpturing. The elongated aperture opens up from narrow at the posterior notch to enlarged at the base. The base of the columella has several characteristic plaits.

Anatomy

The radula has no central tooth, and there are five or six laterals on each side. The teeth are very similar in shape and size across the radula, which is specialised for a diet of polychaete worms.
The eggs are enclosed in a long, gelatinous mass, which is attached to the substrate with a short stalk.
The foot is with operculum.

Ecology

Acteonidae occur in warm seas in shallow and deep water.
Animals predate polychaetes.

Genera

Genera within the family Acteonidae include:
Genus Acteon Montfort, 1810 - type genus
† Genus Acteonina d'Orbigny, 1850
Genus Bathyacteon Valdés, 2008
Genus Callostracon Repetto & Bianco, 2012
† Genus Colostracon Hamlin, 1884
Genus Crenilabium Cossmann, 1889
Genus Inopinodon Bouchet, 1975
Genus Japonactaeon Taki, 1956
Genus Liocarenus Harris & Burrows, 1891
Genus Lissacteon Monterosato, 1890
Genus Maxacteon Rudman, 1971

Genus Mysouffa Marcus, 1974
Genus Neactaeonina Thiele, 1912
Genus Obrussena Iredale, 1930
Genus Ongleya Finlay & Marwick, 1937
Genus Ovulacteon Dall, 1889
Genus Pseudacteon Thiele, 1925. There is also a homonym genus Pseudacteon Coquillett, 1907, arthropods in the family Phoridae
Genus Punctacteon Kuroda & Habe, 1961
Genus Pupa Röding, 1798:
Genus Rictaxis Dall, 1871:
Genus Tenuiacteon Aldrich, 1921
Genus Tomlinula Strand, 1932
† Genus Volvaria Lamarck, 1801
;Genera brought into synonymy: