Turritellidae

The shells of turritellid species have whorls that are more convex and their apertures being more circular than it is in the auger shells, which are similarly high-spired. The columella is curved and the thin operculum has many horns. == Anatomy of the soft parts ==

These snails burrow into mud or sand, with their feet being relatively small. shell of Turritella communis from a deep borehole in the Netherlands '' shell on display. == Taxonomy ==

The following genera are recognised in the family Turritellidae: ;†Omalaxinae • †Omalaxis Deshayes, 1832 ;Orectospirinae • Orectospira Dall, 1925 ;Pareorinae • †Batillona Finlay, 1927 • †Eligmostoma Cossmann, 1888 • Mesalia Gray, 1847 • Pareora Marwick, 1931 • †Sigmesalia H. J. Finlay & Marwick, 1937 ;Protominae • †Allmonia Harzhauser & Landau, 2019 • Protoma Baird, 1870 ;Turritellinae • Archimediella • Armatus • †Asiella • Banzarecolpus • Broderiptella • Callostracum • †Calvertitella • Caviturritella • †Colposigma • Colpospira • †Costacolpus • †Cristispira • Gazameda • Haustator • Helminthia • Incatella • †Kapalmerella • Maoricolpus • †Mariacolpus • †Nairiella • Neohaustator • †Nodosella • †Oligodia • †Peyrotia • †Ptychidia • †Roamerella • †Spirocolpus • Stiracolpus • †Tachyrhinchella • Tachyrhynchus • Torcula • †Torquesia • †Torquesiella • Tropicolpus • Turritella - the type genus of the family • Turritellinella • Vermicularia • †Viennella • Zeacolpus ;Other • †Arcotia Stoliczka, 1867 • †Leptocolpus H. J. Finlay & Marwick, 1937 == Palaeontological locations ==

of Sicily. • The Turritellenplatte of Ermingen ("Erminger Turritellenplatte" near Ulm, Germany) is situated in the northern part of the North Alpine Foreland Basin (NAFB) and is of interest for its abundance of Turritella turris gastropod shells within sedimentary deposits. The fauna of the gastropod-rich sandstone reflects mainly towards near-coastal and shallow marine conditions. Petrographical and palaeontological data allow for a correlation with this area and the Burdigalian age (Lower Miocene epoch). Based on the Sr-isotope composition of shark teeth in the area, the age of the area is about 18,5 Ma. == References ==