Xenophora

Xenophora Temporal range: Late Cretaceous–Recent PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
A ventral view of a shell of Xenophora pallidula, with attached gastropod shells
A lateral view of the same shell
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
(unranked):	clade Caenogastropoda clade Hypsogastropoda clade Littorinimorpha
Superfamily:	Xenophoroidea
Family:	Xenophoridae
Genus:	Xenophora Fischer von Waldheim, 1807
Species
See text
Synonyms
Xenophorus (incorrect subsequent spelling of Xenophora Fischer von Waldheim, 1807)

Xenophora, commonly called carrier shells, is a genus of medium-sized to large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Xenophoridae, the carrier snails or carrier shells. The genus Xenophora is the type genus of the family Xenophoridae.

Xenophora is also the name of the quarterly magazine of the French Conchologist Association.

Etymology

The name Xenophora comes from two ancient Greek words, and means "bearing foreigners", so-called because in most species the snail cements pieces of rock or shells to its own shell at regular intervals as the shell grows.

Description

The shells of species within this genus vary from small to large (diameter of base without attachments 19-90 mm; height of shell 21-60 mm), depressed-conical, with narrow to very narrow, simple peripheral edge, non-porcellanous ventrally. Foreign objects are attached to all whorls, with generally more than 30% of dorsal surface obscured by these objects. The foreign objects are usually medium-sized to large. Although the foreign objects are usually mollusk shells, pebbles, or small pieces of coral rock, in some instances a bottle cap has been attached by the snail to its shell.

Species

The genus Xenophora includes the following species and subspecies:

• Xenophora minuta Qi & Ma, 1986
• Xenophora robusta Verrill, 1870

Subgenus Xenophora (Austrophora) Kreipl, Alf & Kronenberg, 1999

• Xenophora flindersi (Cotton & Godfrey, 1938)

Subgenus Xenophora (Xenophora) Fischer von Waldheim, 1807

• Xenophora cerea (Reeve, 1845)
• Xenophora chinensis Philippi, 1841)
• Xenophora conchyliophora (Born, 1780) - American carriersnail (type species of Xenophora)
• Xenophora corrugata (Reeve, 1842)
• Xenophora crispa (König, 1825)
• Xenophora granulosa Ponder, 1983
• Xenophora indica Gmelin, 1791
• Xenophora japonica Kuroda & Habe in Kuroda et al., 1971
• Xenophora mekranensis konoi Habe, 1953
• Xenophora neozelanica Suter, 1908 - New Zealand carriershell
  • Xenophora neozelandica neozelandica Suter, 1908
  • Xenophora neozelandica kermadecensis Ponder, 1983
• Xenophora pallidula (Reeve, 1842) - pallid carrier shell
• Xenophora peroniana (Iredale, 1929)
  • Xenophora peroniana peroniana (Iredale, 1929)
  • Xenophora peroniana kondoi Ponder 1983
• Xenophora senegalensis Fischer, 1873
• Xenophora solarioides (Reeve, 1845)
• Xenophora tenuis Fulton, 1938

Species brought into synonymy

• Subgenus Xenophora (Stellaria) Möller, 1832: synonym of Stellaria Möller, 1832
• Xenophora (Stellaria) testigera (Bronn, 1831): synonym of Stellaria testigera (Bronn, 1831)
• Xenophora australis Souverbie & Montrouzier, 1870: synonym of Xenophora (Xenophora) solarioides (Reeve, 1845)
• Xenophora calculifera (Reeve, 1843): synonym of Stellaria chinensis (Philippi, 1841)
• Xenophora caperata sensu Petit de la Saussaye, 1857: synonym of Xenophora (Xenophora) senegalensis Fischer, 1873
• Xenophora caribaea Petit de la Saussaye, 1857 - Caribbean carriersnail: synonym of Onustus caribaeus (Petit de la Saussaye, 1857)
• Xenophora cavelieri Rochebrune, 1883: synonym of Xenophora (Xenophora) senegalensis Fischer, 1873
• Xenophora digitata Martens, 1878: synonym of Stellaria testigera digitata Martens, 1878
• Xenophora gigantea (Schepman, 1909): synonym of Stellaria gigantea (Schepman, 1909)
• Xenophora helvacea Philippi, 1851: synonym of Onustus indicus (Gmelin, 1791)
• Xenophora japonica Kuroda & Habe, 1971: synonym of Xenophora (Xenophora) japonica Kuroda & Habe, 1971
• Xenophora konoi Habe, 1953: synonym of Xenophora (Xenophora) mekranensis konoi Habe, 1953
• Xenophora laevigata Fischer von Waldheim, 1807: synonym of Xenophora (Xenophora) conchyliophora (Born, 1780)
• Xenophora lamberti Souverbie, 1871: synonym of Stellaria lamberti (Souverbie, 1871)
• Xenophora longleyi Bartsch, 1931 - shingled carriersnail: synonym of Onustus longleyi Bartsch, 1931
• Xenophora meandrina Fischer von Waldheim, 1807: synonym of Xenophora (Xenophora) conchyliophora (Born, 1780)
• Xenophora mediterranea Tiberi, 1863: synonym of Xenophora (Xenophora) crispa (König, 1825)
• Xenophora neozelanica Suter, 1908: synonym of Xenophora (Xenophora) neozelanica neozelanica Suter, 1908
• Xenophora regularis Habe & Okutani, 1983 : synonym of Xenophora (Xenophora) granulosa Ponder, 1983
• Xenophora tenuis Hirase, 1934: synonym of Xenophora (Xenophora) tenuis Fulton, 1983
• Xenophora torrida Kuroda & Ito, 1961 : synonym of Xenophora (Xenophora) cerea (Reeve, 1845)
• Xenophora tricostata Fischer von Waldheim, 1807: synonym of Xenophora (Xenophora) conchyliophora (Born, 1780)
• Xenophora tulearensis Stewart & Kosuge, 1993: synonym of Xenophora (Xenophora) corrugata (Reeve, 1842)
• Xenophora vulcanica Fischer von Waldheim, 1807: synonym of Xenophora (Xenophora) conchyliophora (Born, 1780)
• Xenophora wagneri Philippi, 1855: synonym of Onustus indicus (Gmelin, 1791)

See also

• Images of a live Xenophora conchyliophora, photographed in situ underwater by Anne DuPont

References

• Fischer von Waldheim G. 1806-1807. Muséum Demidoff, ou catalogue systématique et raisonné des curiosités de la nature et de l'art. Moscou Vol. 3 [1807] Végétaux et animaux page(s): vol. 3 p. 213
• Ponder W.F. (1983). A revision of the Recent Xenophoridae of the World and of the Australian Fossil Species (Mollusca : Gastropoda). Memoir 17. The Australian Museum Sydney, Australia
• Kreipl K. & Alf A. (1999). Recent Xenophoridae. Conchbooks, Hackenheim > Germany. 148pp.