Family PHILINIDAE Gray, 1850

Family Philinidae. <i>Philine columnaria</i>.(from Beesley, Ross & Wells 1998) [R. Plant]

Family Philinidae. Philine columnaria.(from Beesley, Ross & Wells 1998) [R. Plant]

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Family PHILINIDAE Gray, 1850

PHILINIDAE Gray, 1850.
Type genus:
Philine Ascanius, 1772.

Introduction

Philinids are large-bodied animals enclosing in the hinder part (the visceral mass) a generally thin fragile shell. The shell has a very broad aperture and very short or no spire. It may be smooth except for incremental growth lines, or sculptured with many spiral rows of shallow but distinct punctae or grooves. The animal has thick lateral extensions (parapodia) of the foot folded up against the head shield and visceral mass, and has a radula with usually two large sickle-shaped teeth in each row, as well as three hard gastral plates in the stomach for crushing/grinding ingested food, often small bivalves.
Most philinids live in fine sandy or muddy habitats, and can be exceedingly common. A few are active epifaunal species; these are usually small and sometimes strikingly coloured. Most philinids are creamy white in keeping with their infaunal life. The larger philinids are known to copulate in pairs in line, with the one behind fulfilling the major role. The egg mass of philinids is a balloon anchored by a thread to larger sand grains or shell fragments. The larger species lay flaccid sausage-shaped balloons filled with strings of minute eggs. Compiled from Burn (in press)