Family Fasciolariidae

The family Fasciolariidae, usually called the spindle shells, does not have many representatives in the Marshalls, but include both abundant and extremely rare species. In many species, the color of the animals is somewhere in the red to maroon range, although there are notable exceptions. Species in this family are carnivorous. We have seen some eating other gastropod mollusks, and bivalves and worms are other potential food sources. Sizes listed for each species are the maximum sizes recorded for Kwajalein and were taken from an unpublished listing of Kwaj record sizes maintained by a succession of individuals since the early 1970s.

Dolicholatirus lancea
Fusinus undatus
Latirus craticulatus
Latirus maculatus
Latirus nodatus
Latirus noumeensis
Latirus polygonus
Latirus turritus
Latirus sp. 1
Peristernia chlorostoma
Peristernia nassatula
Peristernia reincarnata
Peristernia sowerbyi
Peristernia ustulata
Pleuroploca filamentosa

Kwajalein Underwater home

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