Ergalataxinae is a taxonomic subfamily of small to medium-sized predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks within the family Muricidae, the rock snails.[1] In this subfamily, the aragonitic shell has 0–2 varices.[2]

Ergalataxinae
A shell of Muricodrupa fiscella
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Neogastropoda
Superfamily: Muricoidea
Family: Muricidae
Subfamily: Ergalataxinae
Kuroda, Habe & Oyama, 1971
Genera

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Genera

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The subfamily Ergalataxinae contains the following genera:[3]

Genera brought into synonymy
  • Cumella Jousseaume, 1898: synonym of Lataxiena Jousseaume, 1883
  • Habromorula Houart, 1995: synonym of Morula (Habromorula) Houart, 1995
  • Morulina Dall, 1923: synonym of Morula Schumacher, 1817
  • Roquesia Petuch, 2013: synonym of Colubraria Schumacher, 1817
Genera that have been treated as subgenera
  • Azumamorula as Morula (Azumamorula)
  • Oppomorus as Morula (Oppomorus), re-raised to genus in 2013.[5]
  • Usilla as Cronia (Usilla)

The classification into this subfamily is doubtful for the genera Daphnellopsis Schepman, 1913; Lindapterys Petuch, 1987 Maculotriton Dall, 1904; and Uttleya Marwick, 1934

Taxonomy

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The subfamily Ergalataxinae originally contained just four species: Bedevina birileffi, Ergalatax contracta, E. tokugawai, and Cytharomorula vexillum.[4]: 1  Later, genera Morula, Spinidrupa, Cronia, and Drupella were transferred from the Rapaninae (also called Thaidinae).[5]: 19  New species have been described, and genera split, leading to a subfamily of approximately 150 species in 20+ genera.

Molecular phylogeny

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Gene-sequence analysis of four genes (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, and three ribosomal RNA) from 52 Ergalataxine species showed three major clades, with four suprageneric sub-clades in the last:[5]

  • Clade A: Tenguella, Muricodrupa, Claremontiella
  • Clade B: Morula (sensu stricto), Murichorda
  • Clade C: Phrygiomurex, and:
    • Clade W: Lataxiena, Usilla, some Orania
    • Clade X: Drupella; Cronia, Maculotriton, Ergalatax
    • Clade Y: Oppomorus; Spinidrupa, Bedevina
    • Clade Z: Cytharomorula, some Orania, Pascula, Lauta

Genetic material from Azumamorula, Daphnellopsis, Lindapterys, and Uttleya was not included.[5]: 28  Genus names above reflect later changes, such as Lauta parva for "Morula" parva, Claremontiella nodulosa for "Morula" nodulosa, and Murichorda for "Muricodrupa" fiscella and "Morula" rumphiusi.[4]

Cronia, Maculotriton, and Ergalatax may prove to be a single species, in which case the name Cronia would have precedence.[5]: 21, 27  If Ergalatax is subsumed into Cronia, this would impact the name of the Ergalataxinae. Most Spinidrupa grouped with Bedevina (which has priority), but the type species S. euracantha was more basal to clade Y (only 12S rRNA sequence was available for the latter). Orania is polyphyletic, but its type species was not included.[5]: 27 

References

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  1. ^ "Family Muricidae Subfamily Ergalataxinae".
  2. ^ "Ergalataxinae". Archived from the original on 2011-07-20. Retrieved 2011-02-23.
  3. ^ Philippe Bouchet & Roland Houart (2011). "Ergalataxinae". World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 1 March 2011.
  4. ^ a b c d e Houart, Roland; Zuccon, Dario; Puillandre, Nicolas (2019-04-09). "Description of new genera and new species of Ergalataxinae (Gastropoda: Muricidae)". Novapex. 20 (hors-série 12): 1–52.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Claremont, Martine; Houart, Roland; Williams, Suzanne T.; Reid, David G. (2013-02-01). "A molecular phylogenetic framework for the Ergalataxinae (Neogastropoda: Muricidae)". Journal of Molluscan Studies. 79 (1): 19–29. doi:10.1093/mollus/eys028. ISSN 0260-1230.
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