Epitonium
Epitonium is a genus of small predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks. Epitonium is the type genus of the family Epitoniidae, the wentletraps.
The common name wentletraps is derived from the Dutch word wenteltrap, denoting a spiral staircase. This refers to the striking form and sculpture of the shells of the mollusks in this genus, and to a lesser extent, the whole family.
The genus Epitonium has been divided in the past by some authors into several subgenera, but these subgenera were based only on shell characters and did not reflect the true underlying relationships or phylogeny.
Shell description
Epitonium shells are high-spired, and are all-white in most of the species within this genus. A few species are tinted with brown to varying degrees, or have a brown stripe on the shoulder of the whorl. The shells typically have blade-like vertical ribs, known as costae.Habitat
Wentletraps usually live in sand near sea anemones or corals.Life habits
These snails are predators and feed by inserting their proboscis and biting out small pieces of the anemone's tissues. Some species of wentletrap feed on only one species of sea anemone, in other words they are species-specific in terms of their prey.Synonymised genera
Many species that now are placed in the genus Epitonium have, over the years, been classified in other genera. These have become synonyms of Epitonium :Aciona Leach, 1815Acutiscala de Boury, 1909Amiciscala Jousseaume, 1912Anguliscala de Boury, 1909Asperiscala de Boury, 1909 Avalitiscala de Boury, 1912Cinctiscala de Boury, 1909Cirratiscala de Boury, 1909)Clathrus Oken, 1815Connexiscala de Boury, 1909Crenuliscala Iredale, 1936Crisposcala de Boury, 1886Cyclostoma Lamarck, 1799Decussiscala de Boury, 1909 Delicatiscala de Boury, 1909Dulciscala de Boury, 1909Eburniscala de Boury, 1909Epitonium de Boury, 1909Epitonium Epitonium Röding, 1798 · accepted, alternate representationEpitonium de Boury, 1889 · accepted, alternate representationEpitonium de Boury, 1909 accepted, alternate representationEvolutiscala de Boury, 1909Firmiscala de Boury, 1909Folaceiscala de Boury, 1912Foliaceiscala de Boury, 1912Foraceiscala de Boury, 1911Foveoscala de Boury, 1909Fragiliscala Azuma, 1962Fusicoscala Monterosato, 1890Glabriscala de Boury, 1909Graciliscala de Boury, 1909Gradatiscala de Boury, 1909Gyroscala Azuma, 1962Hirtoscala Monterosato, 1890Hyaloscala de Boury, 1890Innesiscala Jousseaume, 1912Janthoscala Mörch, 1875Labeoscala de Boury, 1912Laeviscala de Boury, 1909Lamelliscala de Boury, 1909Lepidiscala de Boury, 1909Limiscala de Boury, 1909Limniscala Dollfus, 1913Linctoscala Monterosato, 1890Lineoscala de Boury, 1909Mazescala Iredale, 1936Melanopsis Férussac, 1807Minutiscala de Boury, 1909Nipponoscala Masahito & Habe, 1973Nitidiscala de Boury, 1909Nitidoscala Strong, 1930Papyriscala de Boury, 1909Parviscala de Boury, 1887Perlucidiscala de Boury, 1912Pudentiscala Iredale, 1938Pupiscala Masahito, Kuroda & Habe, 1971Resticuliscala Cossmann, 1912Reticuliscala de Boury, 1909Scala Mörch, 1852Scala de Boury in Jousseaume, 1912Scala de Boury in Jousseaume, 1912Scalaria Lamarck, 1801Scalaria de Boury, 1887 Scalarus Montfort, 1810 Scalatarius Duméril, 1806Sodaliscala de Boury, 1909Sphaeroscala Monterosato, 1890Spiniscala de Boury, 1909Turbiniscala de Boury, 1909Viciniscala de Boury, 1909Species
Species within the genus Epitonium include:Note: Some malacologists have recently placed many of the more than 600 named species into other genera, which were previously considered to be subgenera of the genus Epitonium. On the other hand, many species that belonged to subgenera of Epitonium are now included in Epitonium. These subgenera were based on details of the shell sculpture and not on molecular analysis.Epitonium abyssicola Epitonium acanthopleurum Epitonium acapulcanum Dall, 1917Epitonium actinariophilum Epitonium aculeatum Epitonium adjunctum Epitonium aequale Epitonium agitabile Epitonium alabiforme Kilburn, 1985Epitonium alatum Epitonium albidum - bladed wentletrapEpitonium albolineatum Epitonium algerianum Epitonium alizonum Epitonium amathusium Epitonium amicum Epitonium amiculum Kilburn, 1985Epitonium amplexus Nakayama, 2003Epitonium anabathmos Kilburn, 1985Epitonium ancillotoi Cossignani T. & Cossignani V., 1998Epitonium angulatum - angulate wentletrapEpitonium angulicinctum Epitonium antisoa Epitonium apiculatum - semismooth wentletrapEpitonium aranea Bonfitto, 2017Epitonium arcanum DuShane, 1979Epitonium artimi Epitonium atomus Epitonium attenuatum Epitonium audouini Epitonium aureomaculatum Epitonium auritum Epitonium austrocaledonicum Epitonium avalites Epitonium babylonium - tower wentletrapEpitonium barissum Epitonium beachportense Epitonium bellastriatum Epitonium bellicosum Hedley, 1907Epitonium bengalense Epitonium bevdeynzerae Garcia E., 2001Epitonium blainei Clench & Turner, 1953Epitonium bonaespei Epitonium bouryi Epitonium boutetorum Garcia, 2016Epitonium brachyspeira Kilburn, 1985Epitonium brevissimum Epitonium bucknilli Powell, 1924Epitonium bulbulum Epitonium bullatum Epitonium caamanoi Dall & Bartsch, 1910Epitonium calideum Epitonium californicum Dall, 1917Epitonium callipeplum Dall, 1919Epitonium candeanum Epitonium candidissimum Epitonium canna Dall, 1919Epitonium cantrainei Epitonium carchedon Epitonium castum Epitonium catalinae Dall, 1908Epitonium catalinense Dall, 1917Epitonium catanuense Epitonium celesti Epitonium cerdantum Epitonium championi Clench & Turner, 1952Epitonium chiarae Bozzetti, 2007Epitonium chinglinae Lee & Wu, 1998 Epitonium christiani Bozzetti, 2008Epitonium christyi Epitonium clathratulum Epitonium clathrus Linnaeus, 1758 - common wentletrapEpitonium clementinum Grateloup, J.P.S. de, 1840Epitonium climacotum Kilburn, 1985Epitonium columba Kilburn, 1985Epitonium columnella Dall, 1917Epitonium commodum Epitonium commutatum Monterosato, 1877Epitonium conjunctum Epitonium connexum Epitonium continens Epitonium cookeanum Dall, 1917Epitonium cophinodes Epitonium coretum Epitonium corniculum Y.-C. Lee & C.-W. Huang, 2016Epitonium coronatum Lamarck, 1816: synonym of Gyroscala coronata Epitonium coutieri Epitonium couturieri Epitonium crassicostatum Gittenberger & Gittenberger, 2005Epitonium crassilabrumEpitonium crassum Epitonium creberrimum Epitonium crebricostatum Carpenter, 1864Epitonium crispatum Epitonium crypticorona Kilburn, 1985Epitonium cultellicostum Epitonium cumingii Epitonium curvilineatum Epitonium dallianum Epitonium deflersi Epitonium deificum Epitonium denticulatum tooth-rib wentletrapEpitonium dentiscalpium Epitonium deschampsi Garcia, 2003Epitonium dubium Epitonium duocamurum Lee Y.C., 2001Epitonium durhamianum Hertlein & Strong, 1951Epitonium eboreum Epitonium eclecticum Epitonium elenense Epitonium elisae Bozzetti, 2007Epitonium eltanini Epitonium emiliae Epitonium emydonesus Dall, 1917Epitonium erroneum Epitonium eulita Epitonium eusculptum Epitonium eutaenium Dall, 1917Epitonium evanidstriatum Zelaya & Güller, 2017Epitonium eximiellum Epitonium eximium Epitonium extenuicostum Epitonium fabrizioi Pastorino & Penchaszadeh, 1998Epitonium falconi Kilburn, 1985Epitonium fasciatum Epitonium fauroti Epitonium fenestratum Epitonium ferminense L. G. Brown, 2019Epitonium ferrugineum Epitonium ferussacii Epitonium fischeri Epitonium foliaceicosta - wrinkle-rib wentletrapEpitonium fractum Dall, 1927 - humble wentletrapEpitonium fragile Epitonium friabile Epitonium frielei Epitonium fucatum Epitonium fulvovittatum Epitonium georgettinum Epitonium glabratum Epitonium gloriolum Epitonium godfreyi Cotton, 1938Epitonium goldsmithi Epitonium goniophorum Epitonium gracile Epitonium graciliconfusum Nakayama, 2000Epitonium gradaticostatum Epitonium gradatum Epitonium gradilis Epitonium graviarmatum Gittenberger & Gittenberger, 2005Epitonium gravieri Epitonium greenlandicum - Greenland wentletrapEpitonium habeli Dall, 1917Epitonium hamatulae Preston, 1915Epitonium hancocki DuShane, 1970Epitonium harimaense Makiyama, 1924Epitonium harpa Epitonium harpago Kilburn, 1985Epitonium hartogi Gittenberger, 2003Epitonium hayashii Epitonium heloris Epitonium hemmesi DuShane, 1988Epitonium hexagonum Epitonium hindsii Epitonium hispidulum Epitonium histricosum Epitonium hoeksemai Gittenberger, A., Goud & Gittenberger, E., 2000: synonym of Epifungium hoeksemai Epitonium hueti Bozzetti, 2011Epitonium huffmani DuShane & McLean, 1968Epitonium humerosum Epitonium humphreysii - Humphrey's wentletrapEpitonium hyalinum Epitonium idalium Epitonium ilariae Bozzetti, 2007Epitonium illovoense Epitonium immaculatum Epitonium imperiale Epitonium inaequale Epitonium indianorum Epitonium indistinctum Epitonium inexpertum L. Brown & Weil, 1999Epitonium ingridae Gittenberger, A., Goud & Gittenberger, E., 2000Epitonium innesi Epitonium interstriatum Epitonium irregulare Epitonium ishimotoi Epitonium jani Segers, Swinnen & De Prins, 2009Epitonium japonicum Epitonium jickelii Epitonium jimpyae Kilburn, 1985Epitonium jolyi Epitonium jomardi Epitonium jousseaumei Epitonium juanitae Garcia, 2003Epitonium jukesianum Epitonium kastoroae Garcia, 2003Epitonium kazusense Epitonium kilburni Drivas & Jay, 1989Epitonium kiyohimae Nakayama, 2000Epitonium klunzingeri Epitonium koshimagani Epitonium koyamai Epitonium kraussi Epitonium krebsii - Krebs' wentletrapEpitonium labeo Epitonium lachrymulum Epitonium lacrima Kilburn, 1985Epitonium laidlawi Epitonium lamellosum - lamellose wentletrapEpitonium latedis Boury, E.A. de, 1911Epitonium latifasciatum Epitonium latum Bozzetti, 2009Epitonium leali Garcia, 2011Epitonium laxatoides Nakayama, 1995Epitonium liliputanum Epitonium linctum Epitonium lineolatum Epitonium lochi Gittenberger, A., Goud & Gittenberger, E., 2000Epitonium lowei Epitonium luceo Epitonium lyra Epitonium macleani DuShane, 1970Epitonium macromphalus E. A. Smith, 1910Epitonium maestratii Garcia E., 2003Epitonium malayanum Epitonium malcolmensis Epitonium malhaensis* Epitonium maraisi Kilburn, 1985Epitonium margarita Epitonium marmoratum Epitonium matthewsae Clench & Turner, 1952Epitonium melior Epitonium mellissi Epitonium melvilli Epitonium millecostatum Epitonium mindoroense Epitonium minorum Epitonium minutia Epitonium minuticostatum Epitonium mirabile Bozzetti, 2008Epitonium miserum de Boury, 1913Epitonium mitraeforme Epitonium moolenbeeki van Aartsen, 1996Epitonium morassii Bonfitto, 2017Epitonium mucronatum Epitonium multicostatum Epitonium multistriatum Epitonium mzambanum Kilburn, 1985Epitonium nanum Epitonium nautlae Epitonium nearense L. G. Brown, 2019Epitonium nitidella Epitonium nodai Nakayama, 2000Epitonium novangliae - New England wentletrapEpitonium obesum Epitonium obliquum Epitonium obtusum
- Epitonium occidentale - fine-ribbed wentletrapEpitonium octagonum Epitonium okezoko Epitonium oliverioi Bonfitto & Sabelli, 2001Epitonium opeas Kilburn, 1985Epitonium oppositum Epitonium optabile Epitonium ossium Nakayama, 2000Epitonium ovale Epitonium padangense Epitonium pallasi Epitonium pallidizonatum Epitonium papyracea De BouryEpitonium parspeciosum Epitonium parvonatrix Kilburn, 1985Epitonium pasiphaes Epitonium paumotense Epitonium perangustum Epitonium perfoliatum Epitonium perimense Epitonium perlucidum Epitonium philippinarum Epitonium philtatum Epitonium phymanthi Robertson, 1994Epitonium pigrum Garcia, 2011
- Epitonium platypleurum Epitonium polacia Epitonium politum Epitonium porrectum Epitonium profundum Nakayama, 2000 Epitonium proximum Epitonium pseudonanum Bouchet & Warén, 1986Epitonium psomion Kilburn, 1985Epitonium pteroen Kilburn, 1977Epitonium pulchellum Epitonium pulcherrimum Epitonium pupiforme Epitonium pyramidale Epitonium quiquandoni Bozzetti, 2007Epitonium raricostatum Epitonium reflexum Epitonium regulare Epitonium repandior Kilburn, 1985Epitonium repandum Kilburn, 1985Epitonium replicatum Sowerby, 1844Epitonium reticulatum Lee & Wu, 1998Epitonium rhips Epitonium rimbogai Epitonium rissoinaeforme Epitonium robillardi Epitonium rubrolineatum Sowerby, G.B. II, 1844Epitonium rupicola - brown-banded wentletrapEpitonium sakuraii Epitonium sallykaicherae Kilburn, 1985Epitonium sanctaehelenae Epitonium sandwichense Epitonium santinii Bozzetti, 2007Epitonium savignyi Jousseaume, 1912Epitonium sawamurai Azuma, 1960Epitonium sawinae Epitonium scalare Epitonium schepmani Epitonium schoedei Epitonium semidisjunctum Epitonium sericifila - silky wentletrapEpitonium sexcostum Epitonium shyorum DuShane & McLean, 1968Epitonium simplex Epitonium skoglundae DuShane, 1974Epitonium smithii Epitonium smriglioi Bonfitto, 2010Epitonium soroastrae Kilburn, 1985Epitonium sousai Bozzetti, 2008Epitonium sowerbyanum Epitonium sowerbyi Clessin, 1884Epitonium spyridion Kilburn, 1985Epitonium stigmaticum Epitonium striatellum Epitonium striatissimum - frosted wentletrapEpitonium subauriculatum Epitonium subcastum Epitonium subtile Epitonium suprastriatum Epitonium sykesii Epitonium symmetricum Epitonium synekhes Kilburn, 1985Epitonium syoichiroi Masahito & Habe, 1976Epitonium tabogense Dall, 1917Epitonium tacitum Epitonium taiwanica Lee & Wu, 1998Epitonium tamsinae Kilburn, 1985Epitonium tenebrosum Epitonium tenellum Epitonium tenerum Epitonium tenue Gray, 1827Epitonium tenuicostatum Epitonium tenuiliratum Epitonium tenuipicturatum Nakayama, 2000Epitonium terebriforme Epitonium textimattum DuShane, 1977Epitonium texturatum Epitonium thelcterium Epitonium thorssoni DuShane, 1988Epitonium thrasys Epitonium thyraeum Kilburn, 1985Epitonium tiberii Epitonium tiburonense Clench & Turner, 1952Epitonium tinctorium Dall, 1919Epitonium tinctum - tinted wentletrapEpitonium tokyoense Epitonium tollini Bartsch, 1938Epitonium tomlini Epitonium townsendi Epitonium trevelyanum Epitonium trochiforme von Maltzan, 1885Epitonium trochoides Epitonium tryoni Epitonium tumidulum Epitonium turritellula Epitonium turtonis Epitonium twilae Gittenberger, A., Goud & Gittenberger, E., 2000Epitonium umbilicatum Epitonium unifasciatum - one-band wentletrapEpitonium vaillanti Epitonium vallatum Epitonium venosum Epitonium viaderi Fenaux, 1938Epitonium vittatum Epitonium vivens Bozzetti, 2009Epitonium walkerianum Hertlein & Strong, 1951Epitonium webbii Epitonium willetti Strong & Hertlein, 1937Epitonium worsfoldi Robertson, 1994Epitonium xenicima Epitonium yamakawana Yokoyama, 1922Epitonium yangi L.G. Brown, 2010Epitonium yemenita Bonfitto, 2017Epitonium yokoyamai Suzuki & Ichikawa, 1936Epitonium zabargadense Bonfitto, 2017Epitonium zatrephes Epitonium zeteki Dall, 1917