Olive snail

{{Short description|Family of molluscs}}

{{Automatic taxobox

| taxon = Olividae

| image = Oliva kaleontina.jpg

| image_caption = live Vullietoliva kaleontina

| image2 = Lettered olive 0015.jpg

| image2_caption = Shells of Lettered olive, Americoliva sayana

| authority = Latreille, 1825

| synonyms_ref =

| synonyms = Olivancillariidae

| subdivision_ranks = Genera

| subdivision = See text

}}

File:Olive nail.argentine coast.hand.png

Olive snails, also known as olive shells and olives, scientific name Olividae, are a taxonomic family of medium to large predatory sea snails with smooth, shiny, elongated oval-shaped shells.Bouchet, P.; Gofas, S. (2012). Olividae. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=23082 on 2012-06-11

The shells often show various muted but attractive colors, and may be patterned also. They are marine gastropod molluscs in the family Olividae within the main clade Neogastropoda.

Taxonomy

According to the Revised Classification, Nomenclator and Typification of Gastropod Families (2017){{Cite journal|last=Bouchet|first=Philippe|last2=Rocroi|first2=Jean-Pierre|last3=Hausdorf|first3=Bernhard|last4=Kaim|first4=Andrzej|last5=Kano|first5=Yasunori|last6=Nützel|first6=Alexander|last7=Parkhaev|first7=Pavel|last8=Schrödl|first8=Michael|last9=Strong|first9=Ellen E.|date=2017|title=Revised Classification, Nomenclator and Typification of Gastropod and Monoplacophoran Families|url=https://www.bioone.org/action/captchaChallenge?redirectUri=%2Fdoi%2F10.4002%2F040.061.0201|journal=Malacologia|language=en-US|volume=61|issue=1-2|pages=1–526|doi=10.4002/040.061.0201|issn=0076-2997|url-access=subscription}} the family Olividae consists of five subfamilies:{{Cite web|url=http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=23082|title=WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Olividae Latreille, 1825|website=www.marinespecies.org|language=en|access-date=2020-11-24}}

Distribution

Olive snails are found worldwide, in subtropical and tropical seas and oceans.

Habitat

These snails are found on sandy substrates intertidally and subtidally.

Life habits

The olive snails are all carnivorous sand-burrowers. They feed mostly on bivalves and carrion and are known as some of the fastest burrowers among snails. They secrete a mucus similar to that of the Muricidae, from which a purple dye can be made.

Shell description

Physically the shells are oval and cylindrical in shape. They have a well-developed stepped spire. Olive shells have a siphonal notch at the posterior end of the long narrow aperture. The siphon of the living animal protrudes from the siphon notch.

The shell surface is extremely glossy because in life the mantle almost always covers the shell.Washington State University Tri-Cities Natural History Museum (2001). [http://shells.tricity.wsu.edu/ArcherdShellCollection/Gastropoda/Olividae.html Family: Olividae (Olive Shells)]. Retrieved on 12 July 2006.Vermeij, Geerat J (3 April 1995). A Natural History of Shells. Princeton University Press. {{ISBN|0-691-00167-7}}. pps. 89, 100, 114.

File:Oliva_miniacea.jpg

The fossil record

Olive shells first appeared during the Campanian.Vermeij, Geerat J (1 September 1993). Evolution and Escalation. Princeton University Press. {{ISBN|0-691-00080-8}}. p.182.

Human use

Olive shells are popular with shell collectors, and are also often made into jewelry and other decorative items.

The shell of the lettered olive, Oliva sayana, is the state shell of South Carolina in the United States.

Genera

Genera within the family Olividae include:

;Genera brought into synonymy:

  • Chilotygma H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853: synonym of Ancilla Lamarck, 1799
  • Hiatula Swainson, 1831: synonym of Agaronia Gray, 1839
  • Lintricula H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853: synonym of Olivancillaria d'Orbigny, 1840
  • Porphyria Röding, 1798 : synonym of Oliva Bruguière, 1789
  • Scaphula Swainson, 1840: synonym of Olivancillaria d'Orbigny, 1840

File:Lettered_olive_0012.jpg, Oliva sayana]]

See also

  • Olivella This genus has now been moved to the Olivellidae according to the taxonomy of Bouchet & Rocroi.

References

{{Reflist}}

Further reading

  • Hunon Ch., Hoarau A. & Robin A. (2009). Olividae (Mollusca, Gastropoda).