Wentletrap

Wentletrap

Taxobox
name = Wentletrap


image_caption = Two shells of "Epitonium humphreysii", Humphrey's wentletrap
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Mollusca
classis = Gastropoda
subclassis = Orthogastropoda
superordo = Caenogastropoda
ordo = Sorbeoconcha
subordo = Hypsogastropoda
infraordo = Ptenoglossa
superfamilia = Epitonioidea
familia = Epitoniidae
familia_authority = Berry, 1910 (1812)
subdivision_ranks = Genera
subdivision = See text.

Wentletraps are small, often white, very high-spired, predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks, in the family Epitoniidae.

The word "wentletrap" originated in German-Dutch ("wenteltrap"), and it means spiral staircase. These snails are sometimes also called "staircase shells", and "ladder shells".

The Epitoniidae family belongs to the superfamily Epitonioidea , which also includes the Janthinidae (the pelagic purple snails) and the family Nystiellidae, all part of the informal group Ptenoglossa.

Distribution

Wentletraps inhabit all seas and oceans worldwide, from the tropical zones to the Arctic and Antarctic zones.

Habitat

Wentletraps are found in habitats which also contain sea anemones or corals, which serve as a food source for the wentletrap.

hell description

Wentletraps are notable for their intricately geometric shell architecture. The turret-shaped shell consists of tightly-wound whorls which create a high, conical spiral. The shells have a round aperture and a round operculum which fits the aperture tightly.

Within the genus "Epitonium" the shell has high, sharply ribbed sculpture, known as "costae".

Most species of wentletrap are white, and have a porcelain-like appearance, measuring no more than two inches in length, and the animal can exude a pink or purplish dye.

Life habits

Many wentletraps reveal a hint of purple body color, suggestive of carnivorous feeding (Keen, 1958). Keen also cited direct observation of a wentletrap feeding by insertion of its proboscis into a sea anemone.

Genera within the family Epitoniidae

* "Acirsa"
* "Amaea"
* "Cirsotrema"
* "Eglisia"
* "Epitonium"
* "Funiscala"
* "Murdochella"
* "Nodiscala"
* "Opalia"
* "Scalina"
* "Sthenorytis"

References

Books

A. Weil, L. Brown and B. Neville, 1999, "The Wentletrap Book: A Guide to the Recent Epitoniidae of the World", Mal de Mer Enterprises

External links

* [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9076556/wentletrap wentletrap] , Britannica
* [http://shells.tricity.wsu.edu/ArcherdShellCollection/Gastropoda/Epitoniidae.html Epitoniidae] , Wentletraps
* [http://www.edwardtbabinski.us/beach_kids/sea_shells/wentletrap/]
* [http://www.ncseagrant.org/ NC Sea Grant] , Seashells of North Carolina Field Guide
* [http://www.wentletrapart.com WentletrapArt] ,Wentletrapart International Art Residency Program


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Wentletrap — Wen tle*trap , n. [D. wenteltrap a winding staircase; cf. G. wendeltreppe.] [Obs.] Any one of numerous species of elegant, usually white, marine shells of the genus Scalaria, especially {Scalaria pretiosa}, which was formerly highly valued;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • wentletrap — [went′ l trap΄] n. [Du wenteltrap, lit., a winding staircase < wentel, a winding, akin to wenden (see WEND) + trap, stair: see TRAP1] any of a family (Epitoniidae) of marine gastropod mollusks usually enclosed in a white, spiral shell …   English World dictionary

  • wentletrap — Scalaria Sca*la ri*a, n. [L., flight of steps.] (Zo[ o]l.) Any one of numerous species of marine gastropods of the genus {Scalaria}, or family {Scalarid[ae]}, having elongated spiral turreted shells, with rounded whorls, usually crossed by ribs… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • wentletrap — /wen tl trap /, n. any of several marine gastropods of the family Epitonii (Scalariidae), having a whitish, spiraled shell. [1750 60; < D wenteltrap, earlier wendeltrap spiral staircase, equiv. to wend(en) to turn + freq. el (Compare wentelen to… …   Universalium

  • wentletrap — noun Etymology: Dutch wenteltrap winding stair, from Middle Dutch wendeltrappe, from wendel turning + trappe stairs Date: 1758 any of a family (Epitoniidae) of marine snails with usually white shells; also one of the shells …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • wentletrap — n. marine gastropod having a white spiraled shell …   English contemporary dictionary

  • wentletrap — [ wɛnt(ə)ltrap] noun a marine mollusc with a tall spiral shell of many whorls. [Clathrus clathrus and other species.] Origin C18: from Du. wenteltrap, lit. winding stair …   English new terms dictionary

  • wentletrap — wen·tle·trap …   English syllables

  • wentletrap — wen•tle•trap [[t]ˈwɛn tlˌtræp[/t]] n. ivt any of various marine gastropods of the family Epitoniidae, typically white with sharply defined axial ridges • Etymology: 1750–60; < D wenteltrap, earlier wendeltrap spiral staircase =wend(en) to turn …   From formal English to slang

  • wentletrap — /ˈwɛntltræp/ (say wentltrap) noun any of the handsome, usually white, spiral shelled marine gastropods constituting the genus Scalaria or the family Scalariidae. {Dutch wenteltrap winding stair, spiral shell} …  

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