Dear Andrew,

The family was named after the genus Seraphs Montfort, 1810, type species
(by original designation): Seraphs convolutus Lamarck (=Terebellum
convolutum, Lamarck, 1802 = Bullia sopita Solander, 1766) a late Paleocene
to late Eocene species from Europe. Seraphs became extinct during the
middle Oligocene.

I do agree with you that the shells look very different, but there are some
striking similarities in gross anatomy, notably the "sickle-shaped"
operculum at the end of the muscular foot, the eyes on stalks.

If Seraphidae were to be considered a seperate family, then I would
advocate that Tibia shold be placed in a seperate family as well. For Tibia
there is a family level name available: Rostellariinae Delpey, 1941.

For the time being I would prefer to consider both Seraphinae and
Rostellariinae subfamilies of the Strombidae, within the superfamily
Stromboidea, which also comprises the Aprorrhaidae and Struthiolariidae.
Within Strombidae there may be one more (unnamed) subfamily to comprise the
recent Varicospira and related fossil genera such as Dientomochilus,
Rimella, Macilentos, Cowlitzia and Ectinochilus.

Gijs

----------
> Van: Kay Lavalier <[log in to unmask]>
> Aan: [log in to unmask]
> Onderwerp: Re: Terebellum
> Datum: zondag 29 augustus 1999 2:21
>
Andrew Vik
Tampa, FL., USA
[log in to unmask]

Gijs:

What genus is this taxon (be it family or subfamily) named after? I can't
seem
to find anything else on this subject in my personal literature. I think
that
it is radically different in shell morphology, enough so to stand on it's
own
as a full family. After all, the Struthiolariidae and the Aporrhaidae are
also
quite similar to the Strombids in anatomy, but different in shell
characters.
In fact, Terebellum is so different in shell shape than any of the other
Strombacea, if it was a fossil genus it would probably have not been
connected
with that superfamily at all.

Andrew

Gijs C. Kronenberg wrote:

> Dear Andrew and others,
>
> Indeed, the name Seraphidae (originally spelled as Seraphina) Gray, 1853
is
> correct.
> Seraphsidae Jung, 1974 is a junior synonym, Jung being unaware of the
name
> proposed by Gray.