Cymbiolacca (genus)

Taxobox
name = "Cymbiolacca"


image_caption = Frazer Island Volute, "Cymbiolacca pulchra frazerensis"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Mollusca
classis = Gastropoda
subclassis = Orthogastropoda
ordo = Sorbeoconcha
superfamilia = Volutoidea
familia = Volutidae
genus = "Cymbiolacca"
genus_authority = Iredale, 1929
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = *"Cymbiolacca intruderi"
"Cymbiolacca perplicata"
"Cymbiolacca provocationis"
"Cymbiolacca pulchra"
"Cymbiolacca pulchra cracenta"
"Cymbiolacca pulchra complexa"
"Cymbiolacca pulchra coucomorum"
"Cymbiolacca pulchra excelsior"
"Cymbiolacca pulchra frazerensis"
"Cymbiolacca pulchra houartii"
"Cymbiolacca pulchra moretonensis"
"Cymbiolacca pulchra nielsenii"
"Cymbiolacca pulchra peristicta"
"Cymbiolacca pulchra pulchra"
"Cymbiolacca pulchra randalli"
"Cymbiolacca pulchra subelongata"
"Cymbiolacca pulchra wisemani"
"Cymbiolacca pulchra woolacottae"
"Cymbiolacca thatcheri"
"Cymbiolacca" is a small taxonomic genus of medium sized predatory marine gastropod in the family Volutidae. It is often treated as a subgenus of "Cymbiola" Swainson, 1831.

Distribution

"Cymbiolacca" live in colonies on and near the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland Australia, and on reefs in the Coral Sea. "Cymbiolacca" species live in coral sand substrates on intertidal reef platforms to depths of over 100 m. Populations or colonies of "Cymbiolacca" are usually narrowly endemic.

Shell description

The shells of "Cymbiolacca" have a small conical (usually ribbed) protoconch, a solid glossy shell with a spiny shoulder (sometimes reduced) and an elongate aperture with 4 distinct columellar plicae. The colour pattern of "Cymbiolacca" is polymorphic, the base colour is white and it is usually overlaid with axial lines, dashes or dots and a pink, orange, red or brown tented pattern.

The largest species (reaching 140 mm in length) are "Cymbiolacca thatcheri" from reeftops in the Coral Sea and a population of "Cymbiolacca intruderi" from deep water outside the Great Barrier Reef north east of Townsville. The most widespread and polymorphic species is "Cymbiolacca pulchra" from the Great Barrier Reef.

Biology

"Cymbiolacca" are mostly nocturnal and predate on other gastropods. During the day they remain buried in coral sand. At night the emerge and crawl on top of the sand searching for prey. They envelop prey with their colourful foot and bury in the sand to consume it. Like other Volutidae "Cymbiolacca" have internal fertilization and lay eggs from which snail develop directly. There is no pelagic stage. This has resulted in a wide variety of forms, each endemic to a particular population.

Taxonomy

The polymorphic narrowly endemic populations of "Cymbiolacca" have influenced taxonomist to apply many names at species and subspecific levels to this genus. Studies of the phylogeny of this group may resolve this issue and provide a stable taxonomy.

References

"The "pulchra complex"Bail P & Limpus A, Evolver, Rome 1998ISBN 88-8299-001-X

"Australian marine shells 2"Wilson B, Odyssey Publishing, Kallaroo, Western Australia 1994ISBN 0-646-155225-4