Scutus

Scutus
Dorsal view of a shell of Scutus breviculus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
(unranked):	clade Vetigastropoda
Superfamily:	Fissurelloidea
Family:	Fissurellidae
Genus:	Scutus Blainville, 1817
Type species
Scutus antipodes Montfort, 1810
Species
See text
Synonyms[1]
Aviscutum Iredale, 1940 Nannoscutum Iredale, 1937 Parmophorus Blainville, 1817 (unnecessary substitute name for Scutus) Scutum P. Fischer, 1885 (invalid: unjustified emendation of Scutus) Scutus (Aviscutum) Iredale, 1940

A live individual

Scutus is a genus of large sea snails or limpets with the common name "shield shells". These are marine gastropod molluscs in the family Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets and slit limpets.^[1]

Both the common name and the scientific name reflect the fact that the shells of species in this genus resemble a Roman shield.

Description

The animal itself has a large black mantle which usually completely covers the shell, giving the animal a superficially slug-like appearance.

Species

Species within the genus Scutus include:^[2]

• Scutus anatinus (Donovan, 1820)
• Scutus antipodes Montfort, 1810 -
• Scutus breviculus Blainville, 1817
• Scutus emarginatus (Philippi, 1851)
• Scutus forsythi (Iredale, 1937)
• Scutus granulatus
• Scutus howensis Iredale, 1940
• Scutus olunguis Iredale, 1940
• Scutus rueppelli (Philippi, 1851)
• Scutus scapha
• Scutus sinensis (Blainville, 1825)
• Scutus unguis (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Scutus virgo Habe, 1951

Species brought into synonymy

• Scutus ambiguus (Dillwyn, 1817): synonym of Scutus anatinus (Donovan, 1820)
• Scutus astrolabeus Hedley, 1917: synonym of Scutus anatinus (Donovan, 1820)
• Scutus australis (Lamarck, 1822): synonym of Scutus anatinus (Donovan, 1820)
• Scutus corrugatus (Reeve, 1842): synonym of Scutus unguis (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Scutus elongatus (Blainville, 1817): synonym of Scutus antipodes Montfort, 1810
• Scutus parunguis Iredale, 1940: synonym of Scutus unguis (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Scutus savignyi Pallary, 1926: synonym of Scutus rueppeli (Philippi, 1851)
• Scutus veitchi (Cotton, 1953): synonym of Scutus antipodes Montfort, 1810

References

1. Bouchet, P. (2012). Scutus Montfort, 1810. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=204176 on 2013-01-20
2. Powell A. W. B., New Zealand Mollusca William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland 1979 ISBN 0-00-216906-1

• Christiaens J. (1986). The Recent and fossil shells of the genus Scutus Montfort, 1810. Gloria Maris, 25(1):1-28
• Higo, S., Callomon, P. & Goto, Y. (1999) Catalogue and Bibliography of the Marine Shell-Bearing Mollusca of Japan. Elle Scientific Publications, Yao, Japan, 749 pp.