Family FERUSSACIIDAE Bourguignat, 1883

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• Ferussaciidae Bourguignat, J.R. 1883. histoire malacologique de l'Abyssinie. Annales des Sciences Naturelles, Zoologie ser. 6 15(art. 2): 1–162, pls. 7-10 [Date published before July] [120] [nomen protectum; protected name under Art. 23.9 of the Code; the original spelling Ferrussacidae has been used by various authors since its introduction, but Bouchet & Rocroi (2005) stated that being an incorrect original spelling (derived from a misspelling of the type genus Ferussacia Risso) it must be corrected in accordance with art. 32.5.3.3. of the Code].

  Type genus:

   Ferussacia Risso, 1826.

  Secondary source:

   Bouchet, P. & Rocroi, J.-P. 2005. Classification and nomenclator of gastropod families. Malacologia 47: 1–397 [76].

Introduction

The Ferussaciidae is a family of elongate, glossy snails native to Europe and Asia. The family is characterised by having a small-sized, elongate, glossy shell with a thin outer lip and a columellar with a well defined basal fold. A species of this family was recorded from South Australia by Cotton (1954) where the introduced Ferussacia folliculus is established in some suburban gardens in Adelaide. A second introduced species, Geostilbia gundlachi, has now been documented from a country location near Mt Morgan, Queensland (Stanisic et al. 2010). Further information concerning the South Australian introduction is given by Venmans (1957).

Some members of this family are easily confused with the Cochlicopidae but generally the species can be distinguished by their simple rather than thickened outer lip.

There is some confusion in the literature over the spelling of this family name. Ferrussaciidae was correctly derived from the genus name Ferrussacia Risso, 1826, but this was based on a mis-spelling of Férussac (see Smith 1998). This constitutes an incorrect spelling under the rules of zoological nomenclature, and thus was formally corrected by Bouchet & Rocroi (2005).

Diagnosis

Ferussaciids are characterised by very small, often needle-like shells. The whorls are smooth and shiny, slightly rounded to rather flattened and the sutures are slightly impressed. The apical whorls are rather blunt and almost nipple-like. The lip is thin and without any thickening or reflection. The aperture is elongated and the columella is of medium width and truncated. There is no umbilicus. Shells are yellowish and transparent.

Ferussaciids are oviparous. The head and foot of the animal are colourless. The foot has a well developed supra-pedal groove and the edge of the foot is fringed. The two larger ocular tentacles are relatively short and blunt and lack coloured eye-spots. Internal organs are coloured and show through the transparent, glassy shell in living snails.

Diagnosis References

Smith, B.J. 1998. Family Ferrussaciidae. 1087 in Beesley, P.L., Ross, G.J.B. & Wells, A. (eds). Mollusca: The Southern Synthesis. Fauna of Australia. Melbourne : CSIRO Publishing Vol. 5(Part B) pp. vi–viii, 565–1234.

Stanisic, J., Shea, M., Potter, D. & Griffiths, O. 2010. Australian Land Snails. A field guide to eastern Australian species. Mauritius : Bioculture Press Vol. 1 595 pp. [117]

General References

Bouchet, P. & Rocroi, J.-P. 2005. Classification and nomenclator of gastropod families. Malacologia 47: 1–397

Cotton, B.C. 1954. A catalogue of introduced snails and slugs in Australia. Records of the South Australian Museum (Adelaide) 11: 177-187 pl. 24

Smith, B.J. 1992. Non-Marine Mollusca. In, Houston, W.W.K. (ed.). Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Non-marine Mollusca. Canberra : Australian Government Publishing Service Vol. 8 xii 408 pp. [222]

Smith, B.J. 1998. Family Ferrussaciidae. 1087 in Beesley, P.L., Ross, G.J.B. & Wells, A. (eds). Mollusca: The Southern Synthesis. Fauna of Australia. Melbourne : CSIRO Publishing Vol. 5(Part B) pp. vi–viii, 565–1234.

Venmans, L.A.W.C. 1957. A species of Ferussacia in South Australia. Journal of the Malacological Society of Australia 1: 36-44

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