Pseudodaphnella


Pseudodaphnella is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Raphitomidae.
In the past this generic name, Pseudodaphnella, has been refused recognition by most modern writers, who have distributed its constituents among Mangilia, Clathurella, or Daphnella.
This genus has a morphological close relationship to Kermia. Together they form a homogeneous complex. Both are also close to the conoidean genera Exomilus Hedley, 1918, Paramontana Laseron, 1954 and Thetidos Hedley, 1899

Description

The species that the author includes in this group differ from the real Clathurella by the slightly less deep, in front as well as behind the same section, the wide aperture with a short siphonal canal and the more regular, finer or coarser grid often predominating in the spiral sculpture. The outer lip is simple, showing fine wrinkles. This section differs sharply from Daphnella through the deep V-line. It is also related to the European section of Cordieria Monteros and to the fossil group Homotoma Bell. The coloring is almost always a mixture of white and reddish yellow or reddish brown. As a type species the author takes Pleurotoma philippinensis.
The size is rather large. The colour may be various shades of brown or yellow, disposed often in dots on a white, sometimes opaque, ground. There is a small brown mucronate apex of two or three whorls, the first spirally engraved, the next with oblique lattice lines. The adult shell is netted over by elevate spirals and radials enclosing deep oblong meshes. At the points of intersection are small sharp cusps. The aperture is wide and free from tubercles or plications on the columella side, and generally without a varix. The sinus is subsutural, broad, and shallow. There is no fasciole band distinguishable.

Distribution

Species of this genus occur in shallow waters of the tropical Indo-Pacific and Australia. The genus is associated with reef corals, and has a habit of sheltering under loose stones between tide marks.

Species

Species within the genus Pseudodaphnella include:
;Species brought into synonymy :