- Source: Chrysallidini
Chrysallidinae is a taxonomic group of very small sea snails, marine gastropod mollusk in the family Pyramidellidae, the pyrams and their allies.
Taxonomy
Chrysallidinae has been one of eleven recognized subfamilies of the gastropod family Pyramidellidae (according to the taxonomy of Ponder & Lindberg 1997). (The other 10 subfamilies are Odostomiinae, Turbonillinae, Cingulininae, Cyclostremellinae, Sayellinae, Syrnolinae, Eulimellinae, Pyramidellinae, Odostomellinae and Tiberiinae.)
According to Schander, Van Aartsen & Corgan (1999) there are 47 genera in this subfamily, four additional genera may also be a part of this taxon.
In the taxonomy of Bouchet & Rocroi (2005), this subfamily has been downgraded to the rank of tribe Chrysallidini in the subfamily Odostomiinae.
Genera
Genera in the subfamily Chrysallidinae include:
Chrysallida Carpenter, 1856 - type genus
Babella Dall, & Bartsch, 1906
Bartrumella Laws, 1940
Besla Dall & Bartsch, 1904
Boonea Robertson, 1978
Egila Dall, & Bartsch, 1904
Euparthenia Thiele, 1929
Eupyrgulina Melvill, 1910
Eurathea Laseron, 1959
Evalina Dall & Bartsch, 1904
Fargoa Bartsch, 1955
Folinella Dall, & Bartsch, 1904
Gurmatia Dance & Eames, 1966
Haldra Dall, & Bartsch, 1904
Helodiamea Peñas & Rolán, 2017
Hinemoa Oliver, 1915
Iolaea A. Adams, 1867
Ivara Dall & Bartsch in Arnold, 1903
Kongsrudia Lygra & Schander, 2010
Laseronella Whitley, 1959
Levipyrgulina Laws, 1941
Liamorpha Pilsbry, 1898
Linopyrga Laws, 1941
Menesthella Nomura, 1939
Menestho Möller, 1842
Miralda A. Adams, 1863
Miraldella Bartsch, 1955
Monotygma J. E. Gray, 1847
Mumiola A. Adams, 1863
Numaegilina Nomura, 1938
Ovalina Peñas & Rolán, 2017
Oscilla A. Adams, 1861
Parthenina Bucquoy, Dauzenberg & Dollfus, 1883
Perparthenina Nordsieck, 1972
Polemicella Saurin, 1959
Prestoniella Saurin, 1958
Pseudoscilla Boettger, 1901
Pukeuria Laws, 1941
Pyrgulina A. Adams, 1863
Quirella Laseron, 1959
Ravnostomia Adegoke, 1977
Salassia De Folin, 1870
Salassiella Dall & Bartsch, 1909
Siogamaia Nomura, 1936
Spiralinella Chaster, 1901
Standeniella Saurin, 1958
Strioturbonilla Sacco, 1892
Trabecula Monterosato, 1884
Tragula Monterosato, 1884
Waikura Marwick, 1931
Possible extra genera
Genera likely to reside in the subfamily Chrysallidinae include:
Raulinia Mayer, 1864
Rugadentia Laseron, 1951
Stylopyramis Thiele, 1929
Taphrostomia Cossmann, 1921
Distribution
This family is found worldwide, from the tropics to the Arctic.
Shell description
The shell of these snails has a blunt, heterostrophic protoconch, which is often wrapped up. The texture of these shells is sculptured in various forms such as ribs and spirals. Their color is mostly white, cream or yellowish. The teleoconch is dextrally coiled, but the larval shells are sinistral. This results in a sinistrally coiled protoconch. The columella has one, spiral fold. The aperture is closed by an operculum.
Life habits
The Chrysallidinae are ectoparasites, feeding mainly on other molluscs and on annelid worms.
They do not have a radula. Instead their long proboscis is used to pierce the skin of its prey and suck up its fluids and soft tissues. The eyes on the grooved tentacles are situated toward the base of the tentacles. Between the head and the foot, a lobed process called the mentum ( = thin projection) is visible.
These molluscs are hermaphrodites, laying eggs in jelly-like masses on the shell of its host.
