Volute Shells of the Volutidae Family
One Volute Shell of the Volutidae Family can be found in this website:
Cuming’s Lyria Shell, Enaeta cumingii. A representative Volute Shell of the Volutidae Family.
Phylogeny: Volute Shells of the Volutidae Family are gastropod mollusks in the order Neogastropoda. Neogastropods are characterized by having a long siphonal canal or a well developed siphonal notch, and a specialized radula. Many species in this order have a narrow aperture. Neogastropods are primarily marine snails and most of the well-known shell families are in this order. The superfamily Volutoidea is one of seven superfamilies in this order, and Volutoidea is comprised of five families. The Volutidae Family is large and contains eight subfamilies, ten tribes, fifty genera, and around four hundred twenty-seven species. Shells in this family are also commonly called Volutids.
Description: Volute Shells have large, glossy, shells that vary considerably in appearance. They vary in outline from cylindrical or fusiform (spindle-shaped) to globular or vase-shaped. Their spires may be very low to moderately high. Their shoulders may be rounded or marked with knobs or spines. The exterior may be smooth or sculpted with axial ribs or cancellate (crisscross) sculpture. Their body whorl makes up the great majority of the shell, and the aperture is elongate. The columella is marked with deep folds, which become less pronounced posteriorly. These shells have a short, open, siphon canal. The exterior of these shells are often beautifully colored, usually in shades of white, brown, or orange. Most species in this family do not have an operculum, for those that do, the operculum is corneous. The living animals are often beautifully colored. Volute Shells are large, reaching a maximum of 50 cm (19.5 inches) in length.
Habitat and Distribution: Volute Shells are usually found on, or burrowed under, sand and mud substrates. They live intertidally, and to depths greater than 3,050 m (10,004 feet).Volute Shells are found worldwide, in tropical to temperate seas. At least three species from this family are found in Mexican waters.
Natural History: Volute Shells are usually predators that feed primarily on mollusks and echinoderms, though some are scavengers. Volutids have a large muscular foot and a long siphon, which assist them in hunting in soft substrates. In turn, they are preyed upon by crabs, fish, and predatory mollusks. They are gonochoric and reproduce sexually with internal fertilization. The eggs are laid in corneous protective capsules. Each capsule contains many eggs, but only a few will hatch and then consume the other eggs. They hatch into crawling juveniles and don’t have a planktonic phase. Volute Shells are edible and some species are targeted by artisanal fisheries. These shells, like cone shells and cowry shells, are highly sought by shell collectors.