Contribution to the Knowledge of Indian Marine Molluscs, Part 4: Family Tellinidae

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Language: English

The objective of this paper is to update our knowledge on tellinids of lndia. The present account deals with the species inhabiting the Indian sea and estuaries. lt includes their up-to-date nomenclature, synonymy, distinctive features, affinity, type locality and range of distribution.

Tellinides constitute one of the most distinctive groups of the shallow water marine molluscan fauna. Represented in all oceans and seas from Polar to tropical regions, these are found from "the level of high water neap tides" (Yonge, 1949) to depths in excess of 600 fathoms (Dali, 1889). The family Tellinidae comprises two subfamilies, Tellininae and Macominae, and includes mostly marine species, with a few extending into estuaries. The Tellininae have tropical and subtropical distribution whereas the Macominae have more representation in temperate and colder regions.

The family contains 442 species out of which 66 are Indo-Pacific forms. Sixty two species are known from India and 13 known from literature only. The remaining forty-nine species have been described here with illustrations. Keys are provided for the genera and species. Ecology of some of the common species is also given.

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