Buccinidae

{{Short description|Family of large sea snails}} {{Automatic taxobox | taxon = Buccinidae | image = Penion maximus (Tryon, 1881).jpg | image_caption = Apertural view of a shell of ''Penion maximus'', anterior end towards the bottom of the page | authority = Rafinesque, 1815 | synonyms_ref = <ref name="WoRMS" /> | synonyms = * Cominellidae * Donovaniinae * Cytharinae Thiele, 1929 * Mangeliinae P. Fischer, 1883 * Oenopotinae Bogdanov, 1987 | type_genus= ''Buccinum'' | type_genus_authority = Linnaeus, 1758 | subdivision_ranks = Genera | subdivision = ''See text'' }}

The '''Buccinidae''' are a very large and diverse taxonomic family of large sea snails, often known as whelks or '''true whelks'''.<ref name="WoRMS">Bouchet, P.; Gofas, S. (2010). Buccinidae. In: Bouchet, P.; Gofas, S.; Rosenberg, G. (2010) World Marine Mollusca database. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=149 on 2010-12-30</ref><ref name="Vaux 2017">{{cite journal |doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2017.06.018 |title=A phylogeny of Southern Hemisphere whelks (Gastropoda: Buccinulidae) and concordance with the fossil record |journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution|volume=114 |issue=2017 |pages=367–381 |year=2017 |last1=Vaux |first1=Felix |last2=Hills |first2=Simon F.K. |last3=Marshall |first3=Bruce A. |last4=Trewick |first4=Steven A. |last5=Morgan-Richards |first5=Mary |pmid=28669812 |bibcode=2017MolPE.114..367V }}</ref>

The family includes more than 1500 species.

== Habitat == The true whelks occur worldwide in all seas from tropical oceans to the cold seas of the Arctic Ocean and the Southern Ocean.<ref name="Vaux 2017"/> They are found from the intertidal to the bathypelagic zones. Most prefer a solid bottom, but some inhabit sandy substrates.

== Description == [[File:Penion jeakingsi.png|thumb|A siphon whelk ''Penion ormesi'', collected from Golden Bay in New Zealand.]] The shells of species in this family are moderate to large in size, conical to fusiform in shape. The shell often has deep sutures. The shell surface is generally smooth, sometimes with a spiral and/ or axial sculpture. The thickness of the shell is more pronounced in tropical shallow-water species, while the shell of species living in moderate and colder waters is generally thin or moderately thin. The top of the whorls are more or less shouldered. The radial ribs of the shell sometimes show shoulder knobs. The aperture is large with a well-defined siphonal canal. The rim of the aperture is sometimes used to pry open the shell of bivalves. The aperture is closed by a horny operculum.

The soft body is elongated and spiral. The head has two conical, depressed tentacles which bear the eyes on a lobe or prominence at their base. The mouth contains a long, cylindrical, annulated proboscis and a small tongue. The mantle forms a thin-edged flap over the branchial cavity. On the left side, it has an elongated, open canal, that emerges by a notch or groove in the shell. The two gills are elongated, unequal and pectinate (i.e. in a comb-like arrangement). The large foot is generally broad.<ref>[https://archive.org/stream/histmolluscous00macgrich#page/162/mode/2up Macgillivray, William, History of the molluscous animals of Scotland, London, 1844]</ref>

True whelks are carnivores and scavengers.<ref name="Vaux 2017"/> They feed on clams, carrion, and sometimes even on detritus. Their sense of smell is very well-developed; they can sense chemical signals from their prey from a considerable distance with their osphradia. Many whelks are capable of boring through the shell of bivalves, and because of this, some species cause much harm in oyster farms. True whelks can even attack fish caught in a net by extending their probosces to twice the length of their own bodies.

The female whelk lays spongy egg capsules with hundreds of eggs. These form round clusters or a tower-shaped masses. Only about 10% of these eggs hatch. The larvae then feed on the rest of the eggs that have not yet hatched.

The flesh of the common northern whelk, ''Buccinum undatum'', is much appreciated by connoisseurs as a food item, but its consumption is currently somewhat in decline.

The empty shell of a whelk is often used by the hermit crab to make its home. [[File:Wulk op zoek naar partners en duidelijk zichtbare paringen-4931656.webm|thumb|''Buccinum undatum'' looking for a partner and mating]] thumb|Egg cases of the common whelk (''Buccinum undatum'') [[File:Whelk egg case.JPG|thumb|Egg cases of the knobbed whelk (''Busycon carica''), from Delaware Bay]]

== Taxonomy == [[File:Three Kelletia lischkei.png|thumb|Three ''Kelletia lischkei'' whelks from Japan.]] The family Busyconidae was for a time treated as a subfamily of Buccinidae called Busyconinae. Genera ''Antillophos'', ''Engoniophos'', ''Phos'', ''Nassaria'', ''Tomlinia'', ''Anentome'' and ''''Clea'''' were treated within family Buccinidae, but they were moved to Nassariidae in 2016.<ref name="Galindo 2016">{{cite journal | last1 = Galindo | first1 = L. A. | last2 = Puillandre | first2 = N. | last3 = Utge | first3 = J. | last4 = Lozouet | first4 = P. | last5 = Bouchet | first5 = P. | year = 2016 | title = The phylogeny and systematics of the Nassariidae revisited (Gastropoda, Buccinoidea) | journal = Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution | volume = 99 | pages = 337–353 | doi = 10.1016/j.ympev.2016.03.019 | pmid = 27012605 | bibcode = 2016MolPE..99..337G }}</ref>

According to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi (2005), followed by a revision in 2022 by Kantor ''et al.'',<ref>Kantor, Y.I., Fedosov, A.E., Kosyan, A.R., Puillandre, N., Sorokin, P.A., Kano, Y., Clark, R. N. & Bouchet, P., 2022 {{full|date=February 2026}}</ref> the family Buccinidae consists of six subfamilies:{{contradictory inline|date=February 2026|reason=there are eleven listed below}}

* Subfamily Buccininae Rafinesque, 1815 * Subfamily Beringiinae Golikov & Starobogatov, 1975 * Subfamily Buccinidae incertae sedis (temporary name) * Subfamily Busyconinae* Wade, 1917 (1867) : presently, Busyconinae is treated as a synonym of the Busyconidae. * Subfamily Donovaniinae Casey, 1904 - synonym: Lachesinae L. Bellardi, 1877 (inv.) * Subfamily Liomesinae P. Fischer, 1884 * Subfamily Neptuneinae W. Stimpson, 1865 * Subfamily Parancistrolepidinae T. Habe, 1972 * Subfamily Siphonaliinae Finlay, 1928 - synonym: Austrosiphonidae Cotton & Godfrey, 1938 * Subfamily Truncariinae Cossmann, 1901 * Subfamily Volutopsiinae Habe & Sato, 1973

The subfamily Pisaniinae was raised to the status of family Pisaniidae in 2009.<ref name="Galindo 2016" />

===Genera=== [[File:Faroe stamp 412 common northern welk.jpg|thumb|''Buccinum undatum'' on a stamp from the Faroe Islands]]

Genera within the family Buccinidae include:

Genera not in a family: * † ''Accidenticulabrum'' Vermeij, 2000 * †''Atractodon'' Charlesworth, 1837 * † ''Buccinofusus'' Conrad, 1866 * † ''Eripachya'' Gabb, 1869 * † ''Hilda'' R. Hoernes & Auinger, 1884 * † ''Laevibuccinum'' Conrad, 1865 * † ''Phoracanthus'' K. Martin, 1914 * † ''Pirgos'' De Gregorio, 1885 * † ''Scalaspira'' Conrad, 1863 * † ''Vagantospira'' Tembrock, 1968

Subfamily Beringiinae * ''Aleutijapelion'' J. H. McLean & R. N. Clark, 2023 * ''Beringius'' Dall, 1887 * ''Exiloberingius'' J. H. McLean & R. N. Clark, 2023 * ''Metajapelion'' Goryachev, 1987 * ''Neoberingius'' T. Habe & Ki. Ito, 1965

Subfamily Buccininae * ''Aleutibuccinum'' J. H. McLean & R. N. Clark, 2023 * ''Buccinum'' Linnaeus, 1758 * ''Castaneobuccinum'' J. H. McLean & R. N. Clark, 2023 * ''Plicibuccinum'' A. N. Golikov & Gulbin, 1977 * ''Sulcosinus'' Dall, 1895 * ''Volutharpa'' P. Fischer, 1856

Subfamily Buccinidae incertae sedis (temporary name) * ''Anomalisipho'' Dautzenberg & H. Fischer, 1912 * ''Corneobuccinum'' Golikov & Gulbin, 1977 * ''Helicofusus'' Dall, 1916 * ''Latisipho'' Dall, 1916 * ''Plicifusus'' Dall, 1902 * † ''Searlesia'' Harmer, 1914 * ''Troschelia'' Mörch, 1876 * † ''Zelandiella'' Finlay, 1926

Subfamily Liomesini P. Fischer, 1884 * ''Liomesus'' Stimpson, 1865

Subfamily Neptuneinae W. Stimpson, 1865 * ''Aulacofusus'' Dall, 1918 * ''Laevisipho'' J. H. McLean & R. N. Clark, 2023 * ''Neptunea'' Röding, 1798

Subfamily Parancistrolepidinae T. Habe, 1972 * ''Ancistrolepis'' Dall, 1895 * ''Bathyancistrolepis'' T. Habe & Ki. Ito, 1968 * ''Boreancistrolepis'' J. H. McLean & R. N. Clark, 2023 * ''Clinopegma'' Grant & Gale, 1931 * ''Japelion'' Dall, 1916 * ''Neancistrolepis'' Habe & Sato, 1973 * ''Parancistrolepis'' Azuma, 1965 * ''Pseudoliomesus'' Habe & Sato, 1973 * ''Thalassoplanes'' Dall, 1908

Subfamily Siphonaliinae Finlay, 1928 * ''Bayerius'' Olsson, 1971 * ''Japeuthria'' Iredale, 1918 * ''Mohnia'' Friele in Kobelt, 1879 * ''Pararetifusus'' Kosuge, 1967 * ''Phaenomenella'' Fraussen, 2006 * ''Siphonalia'' A. Adams, 1863

Subfamily Truncariinae Cossmann, 1901 * ''Truncaria'' A. Adams & Reeve, 1850

Subfamily Volutopsiinae Habe & Sato, 1973 * ''Crebrivolutopsius'' J. H. McLean & R. N. Clark, 2023 * ''Habevolutopsius'' Kantor, 1983 * ''Lussivolutopsius'' Kantor, 1983 * ''Pyrolofusus'' Mörch, 1869 * ''Volutopsius'' Mörch, 1857

subfamily ? * † ''Boreokelletia'' Anderson, 1964 {{cn|date=September 2025}} * ''Limatofusus'' Vaught, 1989 {{cn|date=September 2025}} * ''Ornatoconcha'' Lus, 1987: this is a nomen nudum that belongs to the temporary family Buccinoidea incertae sedis

==Synonyms== {{hidden begin|toggle=left|title=A long list}} * ''Acamptochetus'' Cossmann, 1901: synonym of ''Metula'' H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853 * ''Adansonia'' Pallary, 1902: synonym of ''Chauvetia'' Monterosato, 1884 * ''Agassitula'' Olsson & Bayer, 1972: synonym of ''Metula'' H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853 * ''Anomalosipho'': synonym of ''Anomalisipho'' Dautzenberg & H. Fischer, 1912 * ''Antemetula'' Rehder, 1943: synonym of ''Metula'' H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853 * ''Antimitra'' Iredale, 1917: synonym of''Metula'' H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853 * ''Barbitonia'' Dall, 1916: synonym of ''Neptunea (Barbitonia)'' Dall, 1916 represented as ''Neptunea'' Röding, 1798 * ''Bathybuccinum'' Golikov & Sirenko, 1989: synonym of ''Buccinum'' Linaeus, 1758 * ''Bathyclionella'' Kobelt, 1905: synonym of ''Belomitra'' P. Fischer, 1883 * ''Beringion'' Habe & Ito, 1965: synonym of ''Beringius'' Dall, 1887 * ''Boreofusus'' G.O. Sars, 1878: synonym of ''Troschelia'' Mörch, 1876 * ''Brevisiphonia'' Lus, 1973: synonym of ''Thalassoplanes'' Dall, 1908 * ''Buccinopsis'' ''Jeffreys, 1867'': synonym of ''Liomesus'' Stimpson, 1865 * ''Calliloncha'' Lus, 1978: synonym of ''Bayerius'' Olsson, 1971 * ''Chauvetiella'' F. Nordsieck, 1968: synonym of ''Chauvetia'' Monterosato, 1884 * ''Chrysodomus'' ''Swainson, 1840'': synonym of ''Neptunea'' Röding, 1798 * ''Colicryptus'' Iredale, 1918: synonym of ''Turrisipho'' Dautzenberg & H. Fischer, 1912 * ''Colubrarina'' Kuroda & Habe in Kuroda, Habe & Oyama, 1971: synonym of ''Metula'' H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853 * ''Costaria'' A. N. Golikov, 1977: synonym of ''Neptunea'' Röding, 1798 * ''Cryptomitra'' Dall, 1924: synonym of ''Belomitra'' P. Fischer, 1883 * ''Dellina'' Beu, 1970: synonym of ''Belomitra'' P. Fischer, 1883 * ''Donovania'' Bucquoy, Dautzenberg & Dollfus, 1883: synonym of ''Chauvetia'' Monterosato, 1884 * ''Donovaniella'' F. Nordsieck, 1968: synonym of ''Chauvetia'' Monterosato, 1884 * ''Echinosipho'' Kaiser, 1977: synonym of ''Americominella'' Klappenbach & Ureta, 1972 * ''Floritula'' Olsson & Bayer, 1972: synonym of ''Metula'' H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853 * ''Folineaea'' Monterosato, 1884: synonym of ''Chauvetia'' Monterosato, 1884 * ''Fulgur'' Montfort, 1810: synonym of ''Busycon'' Röding, 1798 * ''Golikovia'' Habe & Sato, 1973: synonym of ''Neptunea (Golikovia)'' Habe & Sato, 1973 accepted as ''Neptunea'' Röding, 1798 * ''Harpofusus'' Habe & Ito, 1965: synonym of ''Pyrolofusus'' Mörch, 1869 * ''Hypojapelion'' Okutani, 1968 : synonym of ''Japelion (Hypojapelion)'' Okutani, 1968 represented as ''Japelion'' Dall, 1916 (superseded rank) * ''Jumala'' Friele, 1882: synonym of ''Beringius'' Dall, 1887 * ''Kapala'' Ponder, 1982: synonym of ''Buccipagoda'' Ponder, 2010 * ''Lachesis'' Risso, 1826: synonym of ''Chauvetia'' Monterosato, 1884 * ''Limatofusus'' Dall, 1918: synonym of ''Latisipho'' Dall, 1916 * ''Mada'' ''Jeffreys, 1867:'' synonym of ''Buccinum'' Linnaeus, 1758 * ''Madiella'' Wenz, 1943: synonym of ''Buccinum'' Linnaeus, 1758 * ''Mala'' Cossmann, 1901: synonym of ''Buccinum'' Linnaeus, 1758 * ''Minitula'' Olsson & Bayer, 1972: synonym of ''Metula'' H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853 * ''Morrisonella'' Bartsch, 1945: synonym of ''Belomitra'' P. Fischer, 1883 * ''Neptunia'' Locard, 1886: synonym of ''Neptunea'' Röding, 1798 * ''Nesaea'' Risso, 1826: synonym of ''Chauvetia'' Monterosato, 1884 * ''Ovulatibuccinum'' Golikov & Sirenko, 1989: synonym of ''Buccinum'' Linnaeus, 1758 * ''Paracalliloncha'' Lus, 1987: synonym of ''Bayerius'' Olsson, 1971 * ''Parasipho'' Dautzenberg & H. Fischer, 1912: synonym of ''Plicifusus'' Dall, 1902 * ''Pleurobela'' Monterosato in Locard, 1897: synonym of ''Belomitra'' P. Fischer, 1883 * ''Quasisipho'' ''Petrov, 1982'': synonym of ''Plicifusus'' Dall, 1902 * * ''Reticubuccinum'' Ito & Habe, 1980: synonym of ''Buccinum'' Linnaeus, 1758 * ''Sipho'' Mörch, 1852: synonym of ''Colus'' Röding, 1798 * ''Siphonorbis'' Mörch, 1869: synonym of ''Colus'' Röding, 1798 * ''Strombella'' Gray, 1857: synonym of ''Volutopsius'' Mörch, 1857 * ''Syntagma'' Iredale, 1918: synonym of ''Chauvetia'' Monterosato, 1884 * ''Tacita'' Lus, 1971: synonym of ''Bayerius'' Olsson, 1971 * ''Tritonellium'' Valenciennes, 1858: synonym of ''Tritonium'' O. F. Müller, 1776 accepted as ''Buccinum'' Linnaeus, 1758 (unnecessary replacement name for ''Tritonium'' O. F. Müller, 1776, by Valenciennes considered a homonym of ''Tritonia'' Cuvier) * ''Tritonidea'' Swainson, 1840: synonym of ''Cantharus'' Röding, 1798 * ''Thysanobuccinum'' A. N. Golikov & Gulbin, 1980: synonym of ''Buccinum'' Linnaeus, 1758 * ''Tritonium'' O.F. Müller, 1776: synonym of ''Buccinum'' Linnaeus, 1758 * ''Tritonofusus'' Beck, 1847: synonym of ''Colus'' Röding, 1798 * ''Turrivolutopsius'' Tiba & Kosuge, 1979: synonym of ''Volutopsius'' Mörch, 1857 (unavailable name: no description or diagnosis) * ''Ukko'' Friele, 1893: synonym of ''Beringius'' Dall, 1887 (unnecessary nom. nov. pro ''Jumala'' Friele, 1882, rejected as "improper";) * ''Volutopsion'' T. Habe & Ki. Ito, 1965: synonym of ''Volutopsius'' Mörch, 1857 (junior subjective synonym) {{hidden end}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

== Further reading == * Hayashi S. (2005). "The molecular phylogeny of the Buccinidae (Caenogastropoda: Neogastropoda) as inferred from the complete mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene sequences of selected representatives". ''Molluscan Research'' '''25'''(2): 85-98. [http://www.mapress.com/mr/content/v25/2005f/n2p098.htm abstract] [http://www.mapress.com/mr/content/v25/2005f/n2p098.pdf PDF] * [http://seashellsofnsw.org.au/Buccininae/Pages/Buccinidae_intro.htm The Seashells of New South Wales : Buccinidae] * Powell A. W. B., ''New Zealand Mollusca'', William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979 {{ISBN|0-00-216906-1}} * Glen Pownall, ''New Zealand Shells and Shellfish'', Seven Seas Publishing Pty Ltd, Wellington, New Zealand 1979 {{ISBN|0-85467-054-8}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070221053405/http://www.mollusca.co.nz/checklist/checklist_frameset.htm Checklist of Mollusca] * [http://data.acnatsci.org/obis/search.php/82458 OBIS]{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} * [http://clade.ansp.org/obis/search.php/11557 Obis Indo-Pacific Molluscan Database : Buccinidae] * [http://wwmcat.it/malaco/photos/gastropoda/BUCCINIDAE/BUCCINIDAE.htm Worldwide Malacological Catalog : Buccinidae]{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} *{{cite journal | author=Bouchet Ph. & Waren A.| title=Mollusca Gastropoda : Taxonomical notes on tropical deep water Buccinidae with descriptions of new taxa| journal=Mém. Mus. Natl. Hist. Nat. Sér. A | year=1985| volume=133| pages=457–518}}

== External links == {{Wikispecies|Buccinidae}} {{Commons category|Buccinidae}} * [https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/0642/report.pdf Miocene Gastropods and Biostratigraphy of the Kern River Area, California; United States Geological Survey Professional Paper 642] {{PD-notice}} * {{cite journal |last1=Kantor Yu.I., Sirenko B.I., Zvonareva S.S., Fedosov A.E. |title=Taxonomic status of genera of Buccininae (Neogastropoda, Buccinidae) updated based on molecular data with description of new species and corrections of nomenclature of Buccinum |journal=European Journal of Taxonomy |date=2022 |volume=817 |page=28 |url=https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/view/1759 |access-date=30 August 2025}}

Category:Buccinidae Category:Taxa named by Constantine Samuel Rafinesque