| Tonnidae | |
|---|---|
| |
| A shell of Tonna tankervillii (Hanley, 1860) | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
| Order: | Littorinimorpha |
| Superfamily: | Tonnoidea |
| Family: | Tonnidae Suter, 1913 (1825) |
| Genera | |
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See text | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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The Tonnidae are a family of medium-sized to very large sea snails, known as the tun shells. These are marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Littorinimorpha. The name tun refers to the snails' shell shape, which resembles wine casks known as "tuns". While thin, the shells are also strong and lack opercula. They are found in all tropical seas, where they inhabit sandy areas. During the day, they bury themselves in the substrate, emerging at night to feed on echinoderms (especially sea cucumbers), crustaceans, and bivalves. Some larger species also capture fish, using their expandable probosces to swallow them whole. Females lay rows of eggs that become free-swimming larvae for several months before settling to the bottom.[2]
- ^ MolluscaBase eds. (2020). MolluscaBase. Rhytididae Pilsbry, 1893. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=816183 on 2020-10-22
- ^ Rehder, Harold A., 1981, National Audubon Society Field Guide to Shells, pg. 503