Cerithiums
Cerithium Caeruleum
Cerithium caeruleum, the Cerith sand snail, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cerithiidae. Cerithium caeruleum, also be called Cerithium caeruleum G.B. Sowerby II, 1855 generally can be found in large populations on intertidal rocky shores and are covered by a thin layer of sediments. They have large and solid shells, and their radula ( a structure of tiny teeth used for scraping food particles off a surface and drawing them into the mouth.)ribbon robust long about one-fifth the shell length. This species lives in the planktonic (the small or microscopic organisms that drift or swim weakly in a body of water) stage from 90 to 120 days and has a seven-year life history. This common intertidal species is confined to east Africa, Madagascar, and the Arabian Peninsula and is unlikely to be confused with any other Cerithium species. It is distinguished by its squat, knobby shape; and as indicated by its name, caeruleum, a grayish blue color with spiral rows of black tubercles.
This species is widespread in the tropical Indo-Pacific (Red Sea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Tanzania and Western India). The shell of Cerithium caeruleum is large, solid, stocky, knobby, reaching 41.5 mm length and 19.2 mm width, and comprising 8-12 angulate, nodulose whorls. Early teleoconch whorls sculptured with 2 or 3 spiral cords, numerous fine spiral lirae, and weak axial ribs. Adult teleoconch (The portion of the shell formed immediately after the larval stage of the life cycle of the organism) whorls angulate, sculptured with numerous spiral lirae separated by incised spiral lines, fine, colabral axial lines, and with two dominant spiral cords— small, beaded, belt-like, subsutural cord, and very large, nodulose, median cord. A median spiral cord of penultimate whorl has 8-12 large nodes and a wide sutural ramp. Nodes are sometimes spiny and axially drawn out. The suture is slightly impressed. Body whorl(a circular pattern of lines, with the smallest circle in the middle, surrounded by other circles,) large, wide, elongate, with weak siphonal constriction. Body whorl microsculpture same as on adult whorls, but with 4 or 5 major nodulose(a small rounded lump of matter distinct from its surroundings), beaded, or nearly smooth, spiral cords. The aperture is ovate, a little more than one-third the shell length. Columella (a small column) concave with moderate thick callus. Anterior siphonal (to draw liquid by means of a siphon) canal is short and strongly reflected left of shell axis. Anal canal is deep and folded into weak inner denticles (any small tooth-like or bristle-like structure.). Shell color grayish-blue flecked with white; nodes black, early whorls white.
The egg capsules of C. caeruleum each have a diameter ofabout 6 inches, and there is an incubation period of 4–5 days prior to hatching. Reproductive studies and growth statistics calculated by Ayal and Safriel provide evidence that this species lives from 90 to 120 days in the plankton and has a seven-year life expectancy
Foraging fish are the major predators of juvenile Cerithium caeruleum. Taylor and Reid found the murex snails to be the major predator of adult populations. Adult prey were attacked through the aperture, while smaller individuals were usually drilled through the spire.
These species dwell in intertidal rocky shelfs with a thin covering of sediment. They live in the upper intertidal zone on beach stones. The Cerithium caeruleum survive in a wide range of environmental gradients.
This species live along the continental margins of the western Indian Ocean where it is found as far south as Natal and Madagascar. They also are found on Aldabra Atoll and in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, extending eastward to the coasts of Pakistan and western India. They feed on algae and detritus (waste or debris of any kind).
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Family: Cerithiidae
Genus: Cerithium
Species: C. caeruleum
Binomial name: Cerithium caeruleum
G.B. Sowerby II, 1855
(REF:"Cerithium caeruleum G. B. Sowerby II, 1855". World Register of Marine Species) (REF: Houbrick, Richard S. (1992). "Monograph of the genus Cerithium Bruguiere in the Indo-Pacific (Cerithiidae: Prosobranchia)". Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology) (REF: Ayal, Y.; Safriel, U. N. (1982). "Role of competition and predation in determining habitat occupancy of Cerithiidae (Gastropoda: Prosobranchia) on the rocky, intertidal, Red Sea coasts of Sinai". Marine Biology. 70) (REF: "Cerithium caeruleum". Gastropods.com.) (REF: "Cerithium caeruleum G.B. Sowerby II, 1855". Global Biodiversity Information Facility.)
Q1-9
One 2 to 3 1/2 inch hand selected Cerithium caeruleum (Knobby Cerithium) Shell ..... .29
CerithiidaeCerithiidae common name the cerithiids or ceriths, is a large family of medium-sized marine gastropods in the clade Sorbeoconcha.
Ceriths are found worldwide on sandy bottoms, reef flats or coral reef rock covered with sand and algae. They live in warm or temperate waters; but mostly in tropical areas. A few have been found along the European coastline and a few species along the American coast. Some have been found in estuarine areas of mangrove forests close to the sea. Only a few species of the subfamily Bittiinae are found in deep water.
Ceriths are herbivores (an animal that feeds on plants) and detritivores (waste or debris of any kind) that graze the sea bed.
Their slender shell is elongated with a pointed spire (the highest point). They vary in size from less than a 1/4 inch (Bittium alternatum) to 6 inches (Cerithium nodulosum). The smallest shells are found in the subfamily Bittiinae.
The many whorls (a circular pattern of lines, with the smallest circle in the middle, surrounded by other circles,) have radial sculpture with axial ridges and nodules. The aperture (an opening or open space : hole) shows at its base a vague curve or a distinct siphonal canal. The aperture is closed off by a thin oval brown operculum that is corneous and paucispiral. The palatal (formed with some part of the tongue near or touching the hard palate of the roof of the mouth posterior to the ridge of bone behind the upper teeth.) wall of the aperture is somewhat enlarged and often shows a varix (each of the ridges on the shell of a gastropod).
The taenioglossan (multiple teeth ) radula ( a structure of tiny teeth used for scraping food particles off a surface and drawing them into the mouth.) has seven teeth in each row. The single rachidian ( pertaining to a spine) tooth is flanked on each side by one rhomboidal (shaped almost like a diamond) lateral tooth and two long, hook-like marginal teeth.
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Superfamily: Cerithioidea
Family: Cerithiidae
Fleming, 1822
(REF: Fleming, John (1822). The philosophy of zoology 2 ) (REF: Strong E. E., Colgan D. J., Healy J. M., Lydeard C., Ponder W. F. & Glaubrecht M. (2011). "Phylogeny of the gastropod superfamily Cerithioidea using morphology and molecules". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 162) (REF: Bouchet, Philippe; Rocroi, Jean-Pierre; Frýda, Jiri; Hausdorf, Bernard; Ponder, Winston; Valdés, Ángel & Warén, Anders (2005). "Classification and nomenclator of gastropod families". Malacologia. Hackenheim, Germany: ConchBooks. 47) (REF: Strong, E. E.; Bouchet, P. (2018). "A rare and unusual new bittiine genus with two new species from the South Pacific") (REF:Wood, Elvira. The Phylogeny of Certain Cerithidae, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, Volume XXIV, New York )
Z1-10
One hand selected White Cerithium Shell 1 1/2 to 2 inches ...... .04
Cerithium Sulcata Shells
DD1-10
One hand selected Cerithium Sulcata Shell 1 inch or less...... .02