# Capulidae

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{{Short description|Family of gastropods}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| taxon= Capulidae
| image = Capulus ungaricus 001.jpg
| image_caption = Two [shells](/source/gastropod_shell) of ''[Capulus ungaricus](/source/Capulus_ungaricus)'' with the [periostracum](/source/periostracum) removed
| authority = [Fleming](/source/John_Fleming_(naturalist)), 1822
| subdivision_ranks = Genera
| subdivision = ''See text''
| synonyms =
* Trichotropidae <small>Gray, 1850</small>
* Verenidae <small>Gray, 1857</small> (inv.)
* Pileopsidae <small>Chenu, 1859</small>
* Lippistidae <small>Iredale, 1924</small>
* Siriidae <small>Iredale, 1931</small>
* Cerithhiodermatidae <small>Hacobjan, 1976</small>
| display_parents = 3
}}

The '''Capulidae''', the '''cap snails''' or '''cap shells''', are a [taxonomic](/source/Taxonomy_(biology)) [family](/source/Family_(taxonomy)) of [limpet](/source/limpet)-like [sea snail](/source/sea_snail)s, [marine](/source/marine_(ocean)) [gastropod](/source/gastropod) [mollusc](/source/mollusc)s.<ref name="WoRMS">Gofas, S. (2012). Capulidae. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=139 on 2012-07-24</ref> 

Capulidae is the only family in the superfamily '''Capuloidea'''. Capulidae is assigned to the [paraphyletic](/source/paraphyletic) order [Littorinimorpha](/source/Littorinimorpha),<ref name="WoRMS"/> but is more closely related to [neogastropods](/source/Neogastropoda) than some other littorinimorphs as it is a member of the [clade](/source/clade) [Latrogastropoda](/source/Latrogastropoda).<ref name="Colgan2025"/>

The name Trichotropidae was previously used for this family, but this name is invalid, as it is a junior [synonym](/source/synonym_(taxonomy)).<ref>[https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=72589 ITIS Capulidae  Fleming, 1822]</ref>

==Characteristics==
(Original description; described as Capulusidae) The foot is complicated on its anterior margin. The shell adheres to the animal by a circular muscle, leaving an opening in front for the issue of the head and the entrance to the branchial cavity. The gills form a single ridge across the roof. The aperture is in the form of an extended proboscis, with a deep groove above. The tentacula, which are two in number, have the eyes at their external base. The anus is on the right side of the branchial cavity. <ref>{{cite journal |last1=Fleming |first1=J. |title=The philosophy of zoology: or a general view of the structure, functions and classification of animals |journal=Edinburgh |date=1822 |volume=2 |page=494 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/28230157 |access-date=6 November 2025}}</ref>

Cup-shaped or bonnet-like, the shells of this family start with flat, tightly coiled initial [whorl](/source/Whorl_(mollusc))s. From this beginning, they expand rapidly in a planospiral way, flaring out dramatically like a funnel.

The interior of the shell is porcelaneous. Some forms develop internal partitions or septa, a feature that makes them superficially resemble the [Calyptraeidae](/source/Calyptraeidae) (slipper limpets). Externally, the shell is covered by a thick [periostracum](/source/periostracum) that feels either felt-like or hairy. There is no [operculum](/source/Operculum_(gastropod)).

Species in this family are parasites, praying mostly on other molluscs. They steal the food from these animals with a long [proboscis](/source/proboscis).

==Genera==
Genera within the family Capulidae include:<ref>[http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=139 Gofas, S. (2010). Capulidae. In: Bouchet, P.; Gofas, S.; Rosenberg, G. (2010) World Marine Mollusca database. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.eu/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=139 on 2010-06-06]</ref>
;Subfamily Capulinae <small>J. Fleming, 1822</small>
* '' [Ariadnaria](/source/Ariadnaria)'' <small>Habe, 1961</small>
* † ''[Armenostoma](/source/Armenostoma)'' <small>Hacobjan, 1976</small> 
* † ''[Blackdownia](/source/Blackdownia)'' <small>Kollmann, 1976</small>  <ref> Kiel S. (2003) ''New taxonomic data for the gastropod fauna of the Umzamba Formation (Santonian–Campanian, South Africa)''; Cretaceous Research 24 (2003) 449–475 </ref>
* ''[Capulus](/source/Capulus)'' <small>[Montfort](/source/Pierre_Denys_de_Montfort), 1810</small>
* ''[Cerithioderma](/source/Cerithioderma)''  <small> Conrad, 1860 </small> (?)
* ''[Ciliatotropis](/source/Ciliatotropis)'' <small>Golikov, 1986</small>
* ''[Cryocapulus](/source/Cryocapulus)'' <small>Schiaparelli, Bouchet, Fassio & Oliverio, 2020</small>
* ''[Discotrichoconcha](/source/Discotrichoconcha)'' <small>Powell, 1951</small>
* ''[Echinospira](/source/Echinospira)'' <small>Girotti, 1970</small> {{cn|date=November 2025}}
* ''[Hyalorisia](/source/Hyalorisia)'' <small>Dall, 1889</small>
* ''[Icuncula](/source/Icuncula)'' <small>Iredale, 1924</small>
* ''[Krebsia](/source/Krebsia)'' <small>[Montfort](/source/Pierre_Denys_de_Montfort), 1810</small> : synonym of ''[Capulus](/source/Capulus)'' <small>Montfort, 1810</small>
* ''[Latticosta](/source/Latticosta)'' <small>S.-I Huang & M.-H. Lin, 2021</small>
* ''[Lippistes](/source/Lippistes)'' <small> Montfort, 1810 </small> (?)
* ''[Neoiphinoe](/source/Neoiphinoe)'' <small> Habe, 1978 </small>
* ''[Malluvium](/source/Malluvium)'' <small>Melvill, 1906</small> : belongs to the family [Hipponicidae](/source/Hipponicidae). 
* † ''[Profusinus](/source/Profusinus)'' <small>Bandel, 2000</small> 
* ''[Rufodardanula](/source/Rufodardanula)'' <small>[Ponder](/source/Winston_Ponder), 1965</small>; synonym of ''[Skenella](/source/Skenella)'' <small>Pfeffer, 1886</small>
* ''[Separatista](/source/Separatista)'' <small>Gray, 1847</small>
* ''[Sirius](/source/Sirius_(gastropod))'' Hedley, 1900
* † ''[Tintorium](/source/Tintorium)'' <small>Sohl, 1961</small> 
* ''[Torellia](/source/Torellia)'' <small>Lovén in Jeffreys, 1867</small>
* ''[Trichamathina](/source/Trichamathina)'' <small>Habe, 1962</small>
* ''[Trichosirius](/source/Trichosirius)'' <small>[Finlay](/source/Harold_John_Finlay), 1926</small>  (?)
* ''[Trichotropis](/source/Trichotropis)'' <small>Broderip and G. B. Sowerby I, 1829</small>
* † ''[Turbinopsis](/source/Turbinopsis)'' <small>Conrad, 1860</small> 
* ''[Turritropis](/source/Turritropis)'' <small>Habe, 1961</small>
* † ''[Vermeijia](/source/Vermeijia)'' <small>Amano, 2019</small> 
* ''[Verticosta](/source/Verticosta)'' <small>S.-I Huang & M.-H. Lin, 2020</small>
* † ''[Xuwenospira](/source/Xuwenospira)'' <small>H.-J. Wang, 1982</small> 
* ''[Zelippistes](/source/Zelippistes)'' <small>[Finlay](/source/Harold_John_Finlay), 1927</small>

;Subfamily † Lysinae <small>Saul & Squires, 2008</small> 
* † ''[Garzasia](/source/Garzasia)'' <small>Saul & Squires, 2008</small> 
* † ''[Lysis](/source/Lysis_(gastropod))'' <small>Gabb, 186</small>4 
* † ''[Spirogalerus](/source/Spirogalerus)'' <small>H. J. Finlay & Marwick, 1937</small> 

; Genera brought into synonymy :
* ''Actita'' <small>Fischer von Waldheim, 1823</small>: synonym of ''Capulus'' <small>Montfort, 1810</small>
* ''Antitrichotropis'' <small>Powell, 1951</small>: synonym of ''Torellia'' <small>Jeffreys, 1867</small>
* ''Ariadna'' <small>P. Fischer, 1864</small>: synonym of ''[Ariadnaria](/source/Ariadnaria)'' <small>T. Habe, 1961</small> (junior homonym, junior homonym of ''Ariadna'' <small>Audouin, 1826</small> [Arachnida]; ''Ariadnaria'' is a replacement name)
* ''Brocchia'' <small>Bronn, 1828</small>: synonym of ''Capulus'' <small>Montfort, 1810</small>
* ''Capulonix'' <small>Iredale, 1929</small>: synonym of ''Capulus'' <small>Montfort, 1810</small>
* ''Dolichosirius'' <small>Iredale, 1931</small>: synonym of ''Sirius'' <small>Hedley, 1900</small> (junior subjective synonym)
* † ''Eosirius'' <small>P. A. Maxwell, 1966</small>: synonym of † ''Trichosirius (Eosirius)'' <small>P. A. Maxwell, 1966</small> represented as ''Trichosirius'' <small>H. J. Finlay, 1926</small>
* ''Iphinoe'' <small> H. Adams & A. Adams, 1856 </small>: synonym of ''Neoiphinoe'' <small>Habe, 1978</small>
* † ''Mesostoma'' <small>Deshayes, 1861</small>: synonym of † ''Cerithioderma'' <small>Conrad, 1860</small> (junior subjective synonym, invalid: junior homonym of ''Mesostoma'' <small>Ehrenberg, 1836</small>)
* ''Neoconcha'' <small>E.A. Smith, 1907</small>: synonym of ''Torellia (Neoconcha)'' <small>E.A. Smith, 1907</small>
* ''Opposirius'' <small>Iredale, 1931</small>: synonym of  ''Sirius'' <small>Hedley, 1900</small>
* ''Ovotropis'' <small>Egorov & Alexeyev, 1998</small>: synonym of ''Neoiphinoe'' <small>Habe, 1978</small>
* ''Pileopsis'' <small>Lamarck, 1822</small>: synonym of ''Capulus'' <small>Montfort, 1810</small>
* ''Opposirius'' <small>Iredale, 1931</small>: synonym of ''Sirius'' <small>Hedley, 1900</small>
* ''Trichoconcha'' <small>E.A. Smith, 1907</small>: synonym of ''Torellia'' <small>Jeffreys, 1867</small>
* † ''Tropidothais'' <small>L. R. Cox, 1925</small>: synonym of † Lysis <small>Gabb, 1864</small> (junior subjective synonym)

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="Colgan2025">{{Cite journal| doi = 10.3390/d17080524| issn = 1424-2818| volume = 17| issue = 8| pages = 524| last1 = Colgan| first1 = Donald J.| last2 = Ponder| first2 = Winston F.| title = Redefining Latrogastropoda Again and Searching for Its Sister Group in Hypsogastropoda (Gastropoda: Caenogastropoda)| journal = Diversity| date = 2025-07-28| bibcode = 2025Diver..17..524C| doi-access = free}}</ref>
}}
* [Powell A. W. B.](/source/Arthur_William_Baden_Powell), ''New Zealand Mollusca'', [William Collins Publishers Ltd](/source/HarperCollins), Auckland, New Zealand 1979 {{ISBN|0-00-216906-1}}
* Vaught, K.C. (1989). A classification of the living Mollusca. American Malacologists: Melbourne, FL (USA). {{ISBN|0-915826-22-4}}. XII, 195 pp
* [http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20o?search=Capulidae Discover Life]
* {{ITIS |id=72606 |taxon=Capulidae}}

== External links ==
* [https://archive.org/stream/indexmolluscorum00dunk#page/n361/mode/2up image of ''Capulus dilatatus'']
* {{cite journal|doi=10.1080/03036758.2010.500717|title=Marine Mollusca of isotope stages of the last 2 million years in New Zealand. Part 3. Gastropoda (Vetigastropoda - Littorinimorpha)|year=2010|last1=Beu|first1=AG|journal=Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand|volume=40|issue=3–4|pages=59–180|doi-access=free|bibcode=2010JRSNZ..40...59B }}
* [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}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q3141569}}

Category:Capulidae
Category:Taxa named by John Fleming (naturalist)

{{Capulidae-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Capulidae](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capulidae) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capulidae?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.