Monograph of the genus Cerithium Bruguiere in the Indo-Pacific (Cerithiidae: Prosobranchia)

Abstract

SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ZOOLOGY • NUMBER 510 SERIES PUBLICATIONS OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTIONEmphasis upon publication as a means of "diffusing knowledge" was expressed by the first Secretary of the Smithsonian. In his formal plan for the Institution, Joseph Henry outlined a program that included the following statement: "It is proposed to publish a series of reports, giving an account of the new discoveries in science, and of the changes made from year to year in all branches of knowledge." This theme of basic research has been adhered to through the years by thousands of titles issued in series publications under the Smithsonian imprint, commencing with Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge in 1848 and continuing with the following active series:

Molecular phylogenetics reveals differential divergence of coastal snails separated by the Isthmus of Panama

“…The final closure of Central American Seaway provides the basis for inferring rates of molecular evolution (Bermingham and Lessios, 1993;Knowlton et al, 1993;Collins, 1996;Donaldson and Wilson, 1999;McCartney et al, 2000;Lessios et al, 2001;Bellwood Atlantic (and Mediterranean for Cerithium). There are about twenty living species in Cerithidea (Reid et al, 2008) and about forty living species in Cerithium in the world (Houbrick, 1974), although many of these are in critical need of taxonomic revision. Eight species of Cerithidea and 16 species of Cerithium are reported from the Americas (Bequaert, 1942;Keen, 1971;Houbrick, 1974;Reid et al, 2008).…”

“…There are about twenty living species in Cerithidea (Reid et al, 2008) and about forty living species in Cerithium in the world (Houbrick, 1974), although many of these are in critical need of taxonomic revision. Eight species of Cerithidea and 16 species of Cerithium are reported from the Americas (Bequaert, 1942;Keen, 1971;Houbrick, 1974;Reid et al, 2008). While collecting and identifying all of the Cerithidea species is relatively straightforward, taxonomic uncertainties and limited distributions make this more difficult for Cerithium.…”

“…Of the 16 putative Cerithium species in the Pacific, four (C browni, C. maculosum, C. gallapaginis and C. mediolaeve) are morphologically similar and often considered synonymous or subspecies of others (Keen, 1971). Despite taxonomic complexities, based on morphological similarity, Cerithium uncinatum and C. atratum; C. menkei and C. iutosum; C. iittratum and C. stercusmuscarum; Cerithidea montagnei and C. costata were identified as potential geminate species pairs (Houbrick, 1974;Vermeij, 1978). However, since morphological similarities may limit the ability to accurately identify geminate species pairs (Lessios, 1998), it is useful to evaluate the validity of these pairs using independent criteria.…”

“…However, since morphological similarities may limit the ability to accurately identify geminate species pairs (Lessios, 1998), it is useful to evaluate the validity of these pairs using independent criteria. Most Central American species within these genera are associated with near-shore habitats including mangroves (Keen, 1971;Houbrick, 1974;Reid et al, 2008) and thus provide an ideal system to test rates of molecular evolution across the Isthmus. Similar to mangrove shrimps (Knowlton and Weigt, 1998), mangrove snails likely maintained gene flow across the emerging isthmus, until the separation of eastern Pacific and Caribbean mangroves habitats was completed.…”

Small scale change in mollusk diversity along a depth gradient in a seagrass bed off Cabo Frio, (Southeast Brazil)

“…Furthermore, the seagrasses provide a refuge from predation, as denser areas provide more protection. In response to predation, C. atratum burrows into the sediment during the day and rises to the surface of the sediment and onto H. wrightii blades at night (HOUBRICK, 1992;KLUMPP et al, 1992). Another important relationship between seagrass and C. atratum is the availability of areas for egg deposition on seagrass blades, as C. atratum often lays egg strings on seagrasses (RIOS, 1994).…”