The Buccinidae, or Whelks, include hundreds of species which inhabit all oceans of the world. The family encompasses a wide variety of shell shapes and forms. The cold water species ranging to the extreme polar regions are the most notable of this family. Some are quite rare and sought-after by collectors. Though drab in comparison to their tropical relatives, a subtle beauty can be seen in the shell form, shape, and sculpture. A few of the cold water Buccinids are naturally sinistral, or have apertures that open to the left. Many of the deep water Buccinid species are brought up as a bi-product of the fishing trawlers. Other Buccinids inhabit shallow water, intertidal areas. The tropical species of Buccinids are conversely quite colorful, and exhibit an equally interesting array of sculpture and form. The diversity of species make a collection of Buccinidae implicitly beautiful.

LITERATURE: There are literally hundreds of scientific papers and monographs dealing with Buccinidae. A select list of literature that deal in whole with Buccinidae are included in the literature window at the lower left. Many popular shell books and regional monographs also include sections on Buccinidae. Among the body of literature with sizeable Buccinidae sections are, Seashells of Russia in Colour, Bogdanov & Sirenko, 1993; Marine Mollusca of Point Barrow, Alaska, MacGinitie, 1959, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. Vol. 109, No. 3412; Antarctic Mollusca, Dell, 1990, Roy. Soc. N.Zealand, Bull.27.  [more to be added soon]
Buccinidae
Buccinidae

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BUCCINIDAE CLASSIFICATION

Phylum: MOLLUSCA (Linné, 1758) Cuvier, 1795

Class: GASTROPODA Cuvier, 1797

Subclass: ORTHOGASTROPODA Ponder & Lindberg, 1996

Superorder: CAENOGASTROPODA Cox, 1960

Order: SORBEOCONCHA Ponder & Lindberg, 1997

Suborder: HYPSOGASTROPODA Ponder & Lindberg, 1997

Infraorder: NEOGASTROPODA Thiele, 1929

      Superfamily: BUCCINOIDEA Rafinesque, 1815

Family: BUCCINIDAE Rafinesque, 1815




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BUCCINIDAE SUBFAMILIES & GENERA
Subfamily: BUCCININAE
Subfamily: VOLUTOPSIINAE
Subfamily: PHOTINAE
Subfamily: PISANIINAE
Subfamily: BUCCININAE back to menutop of page
ANCISTROLEPIS Dall, 1895  
Ancistrolepis Dall, 1895; Subgenus: Clinopegma Grant & Gale, 1931.   Ref.: Dall, W. H. 1895. Scientific results of explorations by the U.S. Fish Commission Steamer Albatross. No.XXXIV – Report on mollusca and brachiopoda dredged in deep water, chiefly near the Hawaiian Islands, with illustrations of hitherto unfigured species from Northwest America. Proceedings of the U.S. National Museum, Vol.17, No.1032, p.675-733 + pls. 23-32, Washington: Government Printing Office.   /   Millard, V. 1997. Classification of the Mollusca :A classification of worldwide Mollusca. pp.149.		 Ancistrolepis eucosmiusAncistrolepis eucosmius (Dall, 1891) - Alaska, 26mm - trawled in 180 meters of water off Kodiak Island. Living on coarse gravel. Ref.:  
AULACOFUSUS Dall, 1918  
AULACOFUSUS Dall, 1918.   Ref.: Dall, W.H. 1918. Notes on Chrysodomus and other mollusks from the North Pacific Ocean. Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., Vol.54, no. 2234, pp.207-234.		 Aulacofusus periscelidusAulacofusus periscelidus (Dall, 1891) - Alaska, 39mm - dredged in 90-100 meters of water in the Aleutian Islands. Ranges from the Aleutian Islands south to Hokkaido Island, Japan. Ref.: Dall, William H. 1891. Scientific results of explorations by the U.S. Fish Commisssion Steamer Albatross. No.XX.- On some new or interesting west American shells obtained from the dredgings of the U.S. Fish Commission Steamer Albatross in 1888, and from other sources. Proceedings of the U.S. National Museum, Vol.14, No.849, p.173-191 + pls.5-7, Washington: Government Printing Office. Aulacofusus periscelidusAulacofusus periscelidus (Dall, 1891) [+ Colus periscelidus (Dall, 1891)] - Alaska, 38mm; dredged in 20 meters of water in the Aleutian Islands. Living on rocky substrate. Originally described in the genus Chrysodomus. Ref.: Abbott, R.T., 1974, American Seashells, p.209, fig.2297.
BERINGION Habe & Ito, 1965  
Beringion Habe & Ito, 1965.   Ref.: Millard, V. 1997. Classification of the Mollusca :A classification of worldwide Mollusca. pp.149.		 Beringion aleuticusBeringion aleuticus Dall, 1894 - dredged south of Attu Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska, 75-76mm - trawled in ±170 meters of water. Living on black sand/gravel. A rare species. Type locality: near Amukhta Pass, Aleutian Islands. Originally described as Beringius aleuticus. Ref.: Dall, W. H. 1895. Scientific results of explorations by the U.S. Fish Commission Steamer Albatross. No.XXXIV – Report on mollusca and brachiopoda dredged in deep water, chiefly near the Hawaiian Islands, with illustrations of hitherto unfigured species from Northwest America. Proceedings of the U.S. National Museum, Vol.17, No.1032, p.675-733 + pls. 23-32, Washington: Government Printing Office.  
BERINGIUS Dall, 1886  
Beringius Dall, 1886 Beringius Dall, 1887 (1886); Vaught, 1989: 46; Le Renard, 1996: 70; Jumala Friele, 1882; Ukko Friele, 1893 non Friele MS.   Ref.: Millard, V. 1997. Classification of the Mollusca :A classification of worldwide Mollusca. pp.149.		 Beringius crebricostatusBeringius crebricostatus Dall, 1902 - Unalaska Island, Alaska, 69mm - living in 3-5 meters of water in the Aleutian Islands. The description of Chrysodomus crebricostatus Dall, 1877 in Proceedings of the California Academy of Sci. Vol. 7 was never published, but refers to this species.
Ref.: Dall, W.H. 1902. Illustrations and Descriptions of New, Unfigured, or Imperfectly Known Shells, chiefly American, in the United States National Museum. U. S. Nat. Mus. Proc., Vol. 24, No. 1264. Pp. 499-566, Pls. 27-40.		 Beringius frieleiBeringius frielei Dall, 1895 - Aleutian Islands, Alaska, 121mm - extremely rare species trawled in over 300 meters of water. Ref.: Dall, W. H. 1895. Scientific results of explorations by the U.S. Fish Commission Steamer Albatross. No.XXXIV – Report on mollusca and brachiopoda dredged in deep water, chiefly near the Hawaiian Islands, with illustrations of hitherto unfigured species from Northwest America. Proceedings of the U.S. National Museum, Vol.17, No.1032, p.675-733 + pls. 23-32, Washington: Government Printing Office.
BUCCINUM Linné, 1758  
Buccinum Linnaeus, 1758; Vaught, 1989: 46; Le Renard, 1996: 70; Tritonium Muller, 1776; Mada Jeffreys, 1867; Subgenus: MADIELLA Wenz, 1944.   Ref.: Millard, V. 1997. Classification of the Mollusca :A classification of worldwide Mollusca. pp.149.		 Buccinum angulosumBuccinum angulosum Gray, 1839 - New Foundland, 57mm - trawled in 255 meters of water off New Foundland. A circumboreal species found from the North Atlantic to Point Barrow, Alaska along the Arctic coast, and south into the Bering Sea. Various names have been applied to varieties of this species found in the western portion of its range. Ref.: Abbott, R.T., 1974, American Seashells, p.206, no.2240. Buccinum angulosumBuccinum angulosum Gray, 1839 - Bering Sea, 70mm - taken from King Crab pot set in 180 meters of water northwest of Pribilof Island, Alaska, in the Bering Sea. This shell is more typical of the condition the species is found. Ref.: Tiba, R. and Kosuge, S., North Pacific Shells (14), Genus Buccinum, p.65-68, 2 fig.
Buccinum habuiBuccinum habui (Tiba, 1984) - Japan, 36mm - trawled in 250 meters of water off Hokkaido Island. Limited to the northern waters of Japan. Ref.: Tiba, R., 1984, Bull. Inst. Malac. Tokyo, 1(10) 141-142, pl. 48, figs. 1-5. - Tiba, R. and Kosuge, S., North Pacific Shells (14), Genus Buccinum, p.81-82, 1 fig. Buccinum isaotakiiBuccinum isaotakii (Kira, 1959) - Japan, 109mm - trawled in deep water off Hokkaido Island. Ref.: Kira, T. 1959. Coloured illustrations of the shells of Japan. Enlarged and revised edition [6]. Osaka: Hoikusha. vii, 239 pp., 71 pls. Buccinum morchianumBuccinum morchianum (Dunker, 1858) [+ castaneum Dall, 1877] - Aleutian Islands, Alaska, 62mm - taken in 147 meters of water; living on tube worm colonies. Abbott (1974) considered B. morchianum to be a carinate form of B. glaciale. Ref.: Abbott, R.T., 1974, American Seashells, p.204, no.2192   /   Bogdanov, I. and Sirenko, B., 1993, Seashells of Russia in Colour, p.24, figs.1-5.
Buccinum sagamianumBuccinum sagamianum Okutani, 1977 - Sagami Bay, Kanagawa, Japan, 39.4mm - from the type locality trawled in ±160 meters of water. Ref.: Okutani, T., 1977. Two new species of the genus Buccinum from bathyal zone in Sagami Bay, Japan (Gastropoda: Buccinidae). Venus 36(2):73-80. Buccinum sigmatopleuraBuccinum sigmatopleura Dall, 1907 - Aleutian Islands, Alaska, 67mm - Living on sand, stones and scallop valves in ± 130 meters of water. Ref.: Dall, W. H. 1907. Description of new species of shells, chiefly Buccinidae, from the dredgings of the U.S.S. 'Albatross' during 1906, in the northwestern Pacific, Bering, Okhotsk, and Japanese Seas. Smithsonian Miscellanea Collection 50:139–173.  
LIOMESUS Stimpson, 1865  
Liomesus Stimpson, 1865; Lindner, 1978: 70; Vaught, 1989: 47 (author as H. & A. Adams, 1853); Le Renard, 1996: 72; Buccinopsis Jeffreys, 1867 (non Conrad, 1857, nor Deshayes, 1865).   Ref.: Millard, V. 1997. Classification of the Mollusca :A classification of worldwide Mollusca. pp.151.		 Liomesus nuxLiomesus nux (Dall, 1902) - Aleutian Islands, Alaska, 24-27mm - dredged in 100+ meters of water. Living on sand and shell fragments. The description of Liomesus crassa nux Dall, 1877 in Proceedings of the California Academy of Sci. Vol. 7 was never published, but refers to this species. Ref.: Dall, W.H. 1902. Illustrations and Descriptions of New, Unfigured, or Imperfectly Known Shells, chiefly American, in the United States National Museum. U. S. Nat. Mus. Proc., Vol. 24, No. 1264. Pp. 499-566, Pls. 27-40.  
PLICIFUSUS Dall, 1902  
Plicifusus Dall, 1902; Parasipho Dautzenberg & Fischer, 1912; Subgenus: HELICOFUSUS Dall, 1916; Subgenus: LATIFUSUS Dall, 1916.   Ref.: Millard, V. 1997. Classification of the Mollusca :A classification of worldwide Mollusca. pp.151.		 Plicifusus oceanodromaePlicifusus oceanodromae Dall, 1919 - Alaska, 44-51mm - from the same habitat as Liomesus nux.
Ref.: Dall, W.H. 1919. Descriptions of new species of Mollusca from the North Pacific Ocean in the collection of the U.S. National Museum. Proceedings of the United States National Museum. 56 (2295): 293-371.		  
Subfamily: VOLUTOPSIINAE back to menutop of page
VOLUTOPSIUS Mörch, 1857  
Volutopsius Mörch, 1857; Vaught, 1989: 47; Le Renard, 1996: 73; Strombella Gray J.E., 1857 (non Schlüter, 1838); Pyrulofusus Mörch, 1857 Pyrolofusus auctt. (err.); Heliotropis Dall, 1873; Volutopsion Habe & Ito, 1965.   Ref.: Millard, V. 1997. Classification of the Mollusca :A classification of worldwide Mollusca. pp.152.		 Volutopsius callorhinusVolutopsius callorhinus (Dall, 1877) - Alaska, 44-45mm - dredged in ± 100 meters of water in the Aleutian Islands. Ref.: Volutopsius regularisVolutopsius regularis (Dall, 1873) - Aleutian Islands, Alaska, 46-51mm - living in 3-5 meters of water among rocks. Ref.:
Subfamily: PHOTINAE back to menutop of page
DENTICULABRUM Vermeij, 1999  
DENTICULABRUM Vermeij, 1999.   Ref.: 		Denticulabrum sangirensisDenticulabrum sangirensis (Martin, 1906) - Java, Indonesia, 33mm - rare mid-pliocene fossil. Ref.: Vermeij, G. J., 1999 Denticulabrum, a new genus of buccinid gastropods (Gastropoda: Buccinidae) from the Neogene of Indonesia. Basteria 63: 185-191.  
Subfamily: PISANIINAE back to menutop of page
CLIVIPOLLIA Iredale, 1929  
Clivipollia Iredale, 1929.   Ref.: 		Clivipollia fragariaClivipollia fragaria (Wood, 1828) - Kwajalein Atoll, 21mm - The pink, black and white coloration and intricate corded sculpture of this species makes it one of the favorite of shell collectors. The illustrated shell was collected by a scuba diver in 40 feet of water. Ref.:  
ENGINA Gray, 1839  
Engina Gray J.E., 1839; Vaught, 1989: 48; Le Renard, 1996: 72; Enzina Gray, 1847 (nom.null.); Enzinopsis Iredale, 1940.   Ref.: Millard, V. 1997. Classification of the Mollusca :A classification of worldwide Mollusca. pp.154.		 Engina egregiaEngina egregia (Reeve, 1844) - Kwajalein Atoll, 20mm - A rather uncommon Buccinid, typically found on and under coral rubble from intertidal areas down to subtidally depths. The illustrated shell was collected by a scuba diver from 60 feet of water at night. It was buried in coral rubble. The external sculptural characteristics tend to vary considerably. Ref.: Cernohorsky, W.O., 1978, Tropical Pacific Marine Shells, p.75, Pl.22 f.9. Engina lineataEngina lineata (Reeve, 1846) - Western Samoa, 11mm - similar to Engina zonalis, but much more common throughout the Tropical Pacific. Ref.: Cernohorsky, W.O., 1972, Marine Shells of the Pacific, Vol. II, p.143, Pl.39 f.4.
PISANIA Bivona-Bernardi, 1832  
Bivona-Bernardi, 1832; Vaught, 1989: 48 [Pisaniinae]; Pacaud & Le Renard, 1995: 165 [Buccininae]; Le Renard, 1996: 73; Pisanea von Martens in Möbius, 1880; Ecmanis Gistl, 1848; Proboscidea Schmidt in Möller, 1832 (non Bruguière, 1792 (1791)); Polliana E. M. Gray, 1850 (non Gray J. E., 1842); Appisania Thiele, 1929; Sukunaia Cernohorsky, 1966; Pusio Gray J.E., 1833; Subgenus: JEANNEA Iredale, 1912 (Syn. ?); Subgenus: TAENIOLA Dall, 1904.   Ref.: Millard, V. 1997. Classification of the Mollusca :A classification of worldwide Mollusca. pp.153.		 Pisania igneaPisania ignea (Gmelin, 1791) - Kwajalein Atoll, 22mm - this specimen from inside the atoll is uncharacteristically lacking markings on the body whorl commonly found in the species. The shell was found on a hard reef surface in 60 feet of water. Ref.:  
POLLIA Gray in Sowerby, 1834  
Pollia Gray J.E. in Sowerby G.B. I, 1834; Le Renard, 1996: 73; Pusio Gray in Griffith & Pidgeon, 1834 (non Gray J.E., 1833); Tritonidea Swainson, 1840; Algrus de Gregorio, 1885; Anna Risso, 1826; Polliana Gray J.E., 1842 (non Gray E.M., 1850); Gemophos Olsson & Harbison, 1953; Cantharus (Pollia); Vaught, 1989: 48; Pacaud & Le Renard, 1995: 165 [Buccininae].   Ref.: Millard, V. 1997. Classification of the Mollusca :A classification of worldwide Mollusca. pp.154.		 Pollia erythrostomaPollia erythrostoma (Reeve, 1846) [+ Cantharus erythrostoma] - Western Australia, 30-32mm - Relatively common in the Western Pacific. In Australia it is known from north W. Australia to Queensland. The picture illustrates two extreme color forms. Ref.: Wilson, B.R. & Gillett, K., 1971, Field Guide to Australian Shells, p.168, Pl.38, f.4. Pollia undosusPollia undosus (Linné, 1758) - Kwajalein Atoll, 26mm - specimens from the Marshall Islands tend to be somewhat darker and smaller, though these characteristics are not consistent. This specimen was found in 5 feet of water on reef flat in among coral rubble. Ref.: Cernohorsky, W.O., 1972, Marine Shells of the Pacific, Vol. II, p.141, Pl.38 f.5.
PRODOTIA Dall, 1924  
Prodotia Dall, 1924.   Ref.: 		Prodotia iostomusProdotia iostomus (Gray, in Griffiths & Pidgeon, 1834) - Kwajalein Atoll, 22mm - a varied species. It is moderately common throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific. The varied shell shapes have spawned numerous nomenclatural synonyms. Ref.: Cernohorsky, W.O., 1978, Tropical Pacific Marine Shells, p.77, Pl.23 f.1.  
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