BENTHOBIIDAE, Kantor & Fedosov & Puillandre & Bonillo & Bouchet, 2017

FAMILY BENTHOBIIDAE View in CoL FAM. NOV.

Type genus: Benthobia Dall, 1889

Diagnosis: Shell covered by periostracum, ovoid to biconical, with high or very high last whorl and medium-broad to broadly ovate aperture. Siphonal canal very short and broad, not notched. Anterior band not pronounced. Olivoid groove present, terminating by a short denticle on the lip. Plication plate either weakly pronounced, limited to columella, smooth ( Benthobia ) or absent ( Fusulculus ). Primary spire callus limited to inner lip, extending up to parietal wall. Spiral sculpture either absent ( Benthobia ) or consisting of rather distinct spiral cords ( Fusulculus ). Suture simple, adpressed.

Foot with narrow propodium, lacking parapodia. Operculum large, with terminal nucleus. Radula with three teeth per transverse row. Central tooth either tricuspid ( Fusulculus ; Bouchet & Vermeij, 1998) or multicuspid ( Benthobia ; Kantor, 1991; Simone, 2003). Lateral teeth unicuspid. Mantle without mantle filament, with weak to moderately pronounced posterior mantle lobe. Head with long cylindrical tentacles, with ( Fusulculus ) or without eyes ( Benthobia ). Rhynchostome shifted to the base of right tentacle. Proboscis very short when retracted, with basal buccal mass and radular odontophoral retractor passing through the nerve ring. Salivary glands acinous. Accessory salivary gland terminating with very large muscular bulb.