宝螺科(Cypraeidae)种类繁多、数量大。贝壳呈卵圆形或长卵圆形,螺旋部至成体时几乎消失;壳面平滑而富有光泽,表面镀有一层珐琅质,花纹色彩丰富。壳口狭长,在壳体背面的中央线上呈缝状,共长度几乎等于壳长,两唇具齿;吻和水管都比较短。外套膜和足都十分发达,一般具有外触角,生活时外套膜伸展将贝壳包被起来,成体无厣。生活于热带和亚热带暖海区,从潮间带至较深的岩礁、珊瑚礁或泥沙海底均有其踪迹。主要以藻类或珊瑚动物等为食。
物种特征
宝螺种类繁多,数量大。从小型到中等大型。贝壳呈卵圆形或长卵圆形,螺旋部在幼体时尚存,至成体时几乎消失;贝壳坚固,表面光滑或具有突起,富有光泽,状如瓷。壳面具各种色彩和花纹,极其丰富。壳口狭长,两唇具齿;成体无厣。富有光泽。成年个体的螺旋部极小,一般埋于体螺层中,壳口狭长,唇缘厚,一般具有齿。无厣。吻和水管都比较短。外套膜和足都十分发达,一般具有外触角。生活时外套膜伸展将贝壳包被起来。头部发达呈筒状而稍词扁,吻和水管均短,触角长锥状,眼位于触角基部的外侧,足部肌肉发达,呈椭圆形,外套膜发达,伸展出后可包被贝壳其上,有各种不同的色彩,并有许多大小不同的乳突起,非常美丽,外套膜除分泌贝壳外,还具有呼吸作用。
栖息环境
生活于热带和亚热带暖海区,从潮间带至较深的岩礁、珊瑚礁或泥沙海底均有其踪迹。种类繁多,完全为海产。渗透在北半球和南半球,最远达35纬度。大多数物种生活在珊瑚礁附近,水的温度不得低于15℃(除极少数例外)。在海洋中可以下潜的最大深度为800米。大多数形式都是昼伏夜出,白天隐藏在岩石和珊瑚的裂缝和小洞穴里。
生活习性
宝螺科的动物,行动缓慢,怕强光,白天蛰伏在珊瑚洞穴或岩石下面,黎明或黄昏时外出觅食,是肉食性的种类。大多数种类营自由生活,行动缓慢,据记载,行动快的每分钟可向前爬行15厘米,慢的向前移动仅约7厘米。当潮水每天有规律的退出后,宝螺类多隐藏到礁石块下面、洞穴内或藻类丛生的阴暗处。它们是昼伏夜出,每到黄昏夜幕降临后,它们便爬出来活动,所以,白天很难采到生活的宝螺,但当夜间再到海滩珊瑚礁盘间采集时,便很容易采到生活宝螺。当夜间它们出来活动时,它那绚丽多彩的外套膜,便从壳口出来向两侧伸展覆盖整个贝壳,同时,外套膜上美丽似花的各式各样乳突起也伸了出来,其长椭圆形发达的足,也同时从壳口出来,爬行于珊瑚礁盘上或附近的沙滩上,缓缓向前爬行寻觅食物或寻配偶。它们主要以珊瑚动物为食,此外,海绵、有孔虫和小的甲壳动物等,也是它们猎取食物的对象。进食时,主要依靠一个较窄长的齿舌进行活动。它们还有一个奇特的习性,当四处爬行时,或翘起尾巴,然后又突然放下,这也是一种防御手段。
分布范围
宝螺科的动物,是世界热带、亚热带和暖温带海区广分布种类,但主要分布在印度-太平洋暖水区域,热带印度洋-西太平洋之间、澳大利亚南部。也有的种类分布在大西洋沿岸暖水区,如从非洲西岸南端好望角,向北经塞内加尔至西班牙,英国东岸、南岸和地中海沿岸;在墨西哥湾、佛罗里达半岛、加勒比海、小安的列斯群岛,直至巴西沿岸,都有它们的分布。
在中国沿海发现的宝螺总科142种,是暖水性较强的种类。向北延伸到山东省南部青岛的仅有2种。中国大陆沿岸的气温是愈向南愈暖,因此,向南随着温度的增高,动物种类的分布也逐渐增多。台湾虽是位居东海,纬度较高,但由于受暖流的影响较大,其生活环境与海南岛的南端及西沙群岛近似。在海南岛南端和西沙群岛采到宝螺科的种类,在台湾都能采到,不仅宝螺类是如此,其他热带和亚热带生活的贝类,在台湾也都有分布。宝螺总科,在中国海域发现的142种,分布在大陆沿海的有101种,其中有16种仅见于大陆沿岸,不延伸到台湾和南海诸岛。在台湾水域分布的101种中,有41种可以分布到大陆沿岸,有22种仅见于台湾近海。
仅分布在中国近海的有18种,为地方种,其中有9种为新种。中国近海发现的142种,大多数种类,分布于印度一太平洋区诸岛,但有少数种类分布较广,可以延伸到美洲太平洋近海,如蛇首眼球贝,货贝,尖筛目贝,鼹贝,网纹绶贝,扁缘绶贝等分布到科科岛、克利珀屯岛、科隆群岛以及哥伦比亚的戈尔戈纳等美洲近岸。此外,还有厚缘拟贝和细焦掌贝,除分布于印度一太平洋区外,并延伸到以色列沿岸的地中海。
中国南沙群岛地处热带,纬度较低,距菲律宾很近,应有不少宝螺类生活在那里,其种数似应不少于菲律宾,但根据采到的标本和了解到的种数却少于菲律宾,其原因,还有待研究,可能是地域小影响了食物链。
繁殖方式
该科种类
宝螺科序号中文名称拉丁学名1.玛利亚宝螺Annepona mariae mariae2.百眼宝螺Arestorides argus argus3.阿列克斯宝螺Austrasiatica alexhuberti alexhuberti4.德佛阁宝螺Austrasiatica deforgesi deforgesi5.玉女宝螺Austrasiatica hungerfordi hungerfordi6.兰福宝螺Austrasiatica langfordi langfordi7.樱井宝螺Austrasiatica sakuraii sakuraii8.矛头宝螺Austrocypraea contusa9.芮氏宝螺Austrocypraea reevei10.富东尼宝螺Barycypraea fultoni fultoni11.无齿宝螺Barycypraea teulerei teulerei12.澳洲大斑宝螺Bistolida brevidentata brevidentata13.非洲美娘宝螺Bistolida diauges diauges14.红海宝螺Bistolida erythraeensis erythraeensis15.古德宝螺Bistolida goodallii goodallii16.大熊宝螺Bistolida hirundo hirundo17.柔熊宝螺Bistolida hirundo rouxi18.瘦熊宝螺Bistolida kieneri kieneri19.欧氏宝螺Bistolida owenii owenii20.块斑宝螺Bistolida stolida stolida21.肥熊宝螺Bistolida ursellus ursellus22.断带宝螺Blasicrura interrupta interrupta23.缎带宝螺Blasicrura pallidula pallidula24.山马氏宝螺Blasicrura summersi summersi25.丛云宝螺Chelycypraea testudinaria26.巴克莱宝螺Contradusta barclayi barclayi27.黑齿宝螺Contradusta pulchella pulchella28.瓦氏宝螺Contradusta walkeri walkeri29.黑眼鹿斑宝螺Cribrarula astaryi astaryi30.天主教宝螺Cribrarula catholicorum catholicorum31.豆点宝螺Cribrarula comma comma32.花鹿宝螺Cribrarula cribraria cribraria33.矮美人宝螺Cribrarula cumingii compta34.美人宝螺Cribrarula cumingii cumingi35.清晰宝螺Cribrarula esontropia cribellum36.法兰宝螺Cribrarula esontropia francescoi37.红棉宝螺Cribrarula exmouthensis exmouthensis38.闪烁宝螺Cribrarula fallax fallax39.加西亚宝螺Cribrarula garciai garciai40.满天星宝螺Cribrarula gaskoinii gaskoinii41.蛇皮宝螺Cribrarula pellisserpentis pellisserpentis42.絮花宝螺Cribrarula taitae taitae43.图利亚拉宝螺Cribrarula toliaraensis44.亚利桑那宝螺Cypraea alisonae45.丰满宝螺Cypraea angustata46.金环宝螺Cypraea annulus47.阿拉伯宝螺Cypraea arabica48.白陷塔宝螺Cypraea armeniaca howelli49.南太平洋宝螺Cypraea bregeriana50.小鹿斑宝螺Cypraea cervinetta51.鹿斑宝螺Cypraea cervus52.光秃宝螺Cypraea comptonii53.梅易宝螺Cypraea comptonii mayi54.印度洋花鹿宝螺Cypraea cribellum55.甘氏花鹿宝螺Cypraea cribraria ganteri56.如意宝螺Cypraea cruikshanki57.扁缘宝螺Cypraea depressa58.地雷宝螺Cypraea dillwyni59.山水宝螺Cypraea diluculum60.瓷白宝螺Cypraea eburnea61.花枕宝螺Cypraea eglantina62.模里西斯宝螺Cypraea esontropia63.咖啡宝螺Cypraea exusta64.紫端宝螺Cypraea fimbriata65.富人帝氏宝螺Cypraea friendii friendii66.眼斑宝螺Cypraea ocellata67.花豹宝螺Cypraea pantherina68.酒桶宝螺Cypraea talpa69.黑星宝螺Cypraea tigris70.斑马宝螺Cypraea zebra71.棉袍宝螺Cypraeovula alfredensis alfredensis72.南非宝螺Cypraeovula algoensis algoensis73.老皱宝螺Cypraeovula amphithales amphithales74.开普敦宝螺Cypraeovula capensis capensis75.老栗宝螺Cypraeovula castanea castanea76.高亨宝螺Cypraeovula cohenae77.老粗宝螺Cypraeovula colligata colligata78.癞痢宝螺Cypraeovula connelli connelli79.皮痢宝螺Cypraeovula connelli peelae80.黑云宝螺Cypraeovula coronata coronata81.相朴宝螺Cypraeovula cruickshanki cruickshanki82.小无齿宝螺Cypraeovula edentula edentula83.排齿宝螺Cypraeovula fuscodentata fuscodentata84.海兔宝螺Cypraeovula immelmani immelmani85.蛙肚宝螺Cypraeovula iutsui iutsu86.科斯勒宝螺Cypraeovula kesslerorum kesslerorum87.麦克宝螺Cypraeovula mikeharti mikeharti88.前齿缘宝螺Cypraeovula perdentata89.所罗门宝螺Eclogavena coxeni coxeni90.宏凯宝螺Eclogavena dayritiana dani91.菲律宾宝螺Eclogavena dayritiana dayritiana92.四眼宝螺Eclogavena quadrimaculata quadrimaculata93.红楼台宝螺Erosaria acicularis acicularis94.中美洲宝螺Erosaria albuginosa albuginosa95.贝氏宝螺Erosaria beckii beckii96.百花宝螺Erosaria bellatrix97.贝勒宝螺Erosaria bernardi bernardi98.玻芬宝螺Erosaria boivinii boivinii99.淡黄宝螺Erosaria cernica cernica100.橘红宝螺Erosaria citrina citrina101.神父宝螺Erosaria englerti englerti102.腰斑宝螺Erosaria erosa erosa103.黄眼斑宝螺Erosaria flaveola104.普吉宝螺Erosaria gangranosa gangranosa105.红花宝螺Erosaria helvola helvola106.露珠宝螺Erosaria irrorata irrorata107.金菇宝螺Erosaria kingae108.梨皮宝螺Erosaria labrolineata labrolineata109.拉马克宝螺Erosaria lamarckii lamarckii110.以色列宝螺Erosaria macandrewi macandrewi111.紫缘宝螺Erosaria marginalis marginalis112.初雪宝螺Erosaria miliaris miliaris113.对斑宝螺Erosaria nebrites nebrites114.桃花宝螺Erosaria ostergaardi ostergaardi115.飞马宝螺Erosaria philmarti116.紫花宝螺Erosaria poraria poraria117.加勒比海宝螺Erosaria spurca acicularis118.汤玛氏宝螺Erosaria thomasi thomasi119.画眉鸟宝螺Erosaria turdus turdus120.安吉宝螺Erronea angioyorum angioyorum121.清齿宝螺Erronea caurica caurica122.萨摩尔宝螺Erronea caurica samoensis123.宽口宝螺Erronea cylindrica cylindrica124.考克斯宝螺Erronea errones coxi125.爱龙宝螺Erronea errones errones126.福兰朵宝螺Erronea fernandoi fernandoi127.丽妃宝螺Erronea nymphae nymphae128.玛瑙宝螺Erronea onyx onyx129.卵形宝螺Erronea ovum ovum130.苍白宝螺Erronea pallida pallida131.梨果宝螺Erronea pyriformis pyriformis132.腊宝宝螺Erronea rabaulensis rabaulensis133.灰绿宝螺Erronea subviridis subviridis134.冻果宝螺Erronea succincta succincta135.佛赖宝螺Erronea vredenburgi vredenburgi136.黄齿宝螺Erronea xanthodon xanthodon137.长清齿宝螺Erroneaa caurica elongata138.五带宝螺Erroneaa caurica quinquefasciata139.斑爱龙宝螺Erroneaa errones bimaculata140.金蛹宝螺Ipsa childreni childreni141.地理宝螺Leporicypraea geographica geographica142.赖瓦宝螺Leporicypraea geographica rewa143.高贵宝螺Leporicypraea mappa admirabilis144.地图宝螺Leporicypraea mappa mappa145.玫红地图宝螺Leporicypraea mappa rosea146.王子宝螺Leporicypraea valentia valentia147.巴西宝螺Luria cinerea brasilensis148.坚果宝螺Luria cinerea cinerea149.黑头雨丝宝螺Luria controversa atriceps150.可疑雨丝宝螺Luria controversa controversa151.吉尔雨丝宝螺Luria gilvella gilvella152.雨丝宝螺Luria isabella isabella153.大四眼宝螺Luria lurida lurida154.黑幼齿宝螺Luria pulchra pulchra155.棋盘宝螺Luria tessellata156.黄金宝螺Lyncina aurantium aurantium157.红牡丹宝螺Lyncina broderipii broderipii158.索马里红牡丹宝螺Lyncina broderipii somalica159.红海白星宝螺Lyncina camelopardalis camelopardalis160.紫口宝螺Lyncina carneola carneola161.黑原宝螺Lyncina kuroharai kuroharai162.天王宝螺Lyncina leucodon leucodon163.山猫宝螺Lyncina lynx lynx164.云斑宝螺Lyncina nivosa nivosa165.波塔宝螺Lyncina porteri porteri166.白肚宝螺Lyncina schilderorum schilderorum167.厚重宝螺Lyncina sulcidentata sulcidentata168.金枣宝螺Lyncina ventriculus ventriculus169.白星宝螺Lyncina vitellus vitellus170.双纹斑马宝螺Macrocypraea zebra dissimilis171.吉布宝螺Mauritia arabica gibba172.大阿文宝螺Mauritia arabica immanis173.亚洲宝螺Mauritia asiatica asiatica174.黑花枕宝螺Mauritia eglantina niger175.大花枕宝螺Mauritia histrio histrio176.胎记宝螺Mauritia maculifera maculifera177.石胎宝螺Mauritia maculifera scindata178.龟甲宝螺Mauritia mauritiana mauritiana179.网目宝螺Mauritia scurra180.黑纲目宝螺Mauritia scurra mundula181.胖花猫宝螺Melicerona felina fabula182.花猫宝螺Melicerona felina felina183.李氏宝螺Melicerona listeri listeri184.钩环宝螺Monetaria annulus appendiculata185.金线环宝螺Monetaria annulus noumeensis186.龙头宝螺Monetaria caputdraconis187.雪山宝螺Monetaria caputserpentis188.哈里斯黄宝螺Monetaria moneta harrisi189.菱形黄宝螺Monetaria moneta rhomboides190.白礁宝螺Monetaria obvelata nubilis191.环礁宝螺Monetaria obvelata obvelata192.黄宝螺Monetariaa moneta193.双角老鼠宝螺Muracypraea mus bicornis194.大老鼠宝螺Muracypraea mus donmoorei195.黑老鼠宝螺Muracypraea mus mus nigrita196.栗子宝螺Neobernaya spadicea spadicea197.石纹宝螺Nesiocypraea aenigma aenigma198.李姒宝螺Nesiocypraea lisetae lisetae199.中途岛宝螺Nesiocypraea midwayensis midwayensis200.寺町宝螺Nesiocypraea teramachii teramachii201.小船宝螺Notadusta fusula202.芝麻宝螺Notadusta punctata punctata203.光芒宝螺Notadusta punctata radiosa204.三带宝螺Notadusta punctata trizonata205.葡萄宝螺Notadusta punctata uvula206.锯齿芝麻宝螺Notadusta serrata207.枣形芝麻宝螺Notadusta zyzypha208.胡椒宝螺Notocypraea piperita piperita209.疹斑宝螺Notocypraea pulicaria pulicaria210.大疙瘩宝螺Nucleolaria granulata granulata211.疙瘩宝螺Nucleolaria nucleus212.中华宝螺Ovatipsa chinensis chinensis213.科罗巴宝螺Ovatipsa coloba coloba214.寿司宝螺Palmadusta artuffeli artuffeli215.浮标宝螺Palmadusta asellus asellus216.双带宝螺Palmadusta asellus bitaeniata217.银丝宝螺Palmadusta clandestina clandestina218.黑潮宝螺Palmadusta contaminata contaminata219.清山水宝螺Palmadusta diluculum virginalis220.七星麻脸宝螺Palmadusta humphreysii coccinella221.休莫夫宝螺Palmadusta humphreysii humphreysii222.锈斑宝螺Palmadusta lentiginosa lentiginosa223.双线宝螺Palmadusta lutea lutea224.美娘宝螺Palmadusta saulae saulae225.小箭头宝螺Palmadusta ziczac misella226.多箭头宝螺Palmadusta ziczac signata227.波纹宝螺Palmadusta ziczac undata228.大箭头宝螺Palmadusta ziczac vittata229.箭头宝螺Palmadusta ziczac ziczac230.包氏宝螺Palmulacypraea boucheti boucheti231.郭胜枝宝螺Palmulacypraea katsuae guidoi232.胜枝宝螺Palmulacypraea katsuae katsuae233.姑娘宝螺Palmulacypraea musumea musumea234.金星宝螺Perisserosa guttata guttata235.苏里南宝螺Propustularia surinamensis surinamensis236.巴拿马宝螺Pseudozonaria aequinoctialis aequinoctialis237.阿念宝螺Pseudozonaria annettae annettae238.角缘宝螺Pseudozonaria arabicula arabicula239.黑点宝螺Pseudozonaria nigropunctata nigropunctata240.鹌鹑蛋宝螺Pseudozonaria robertsi robertsi241.巴伯宝螺Purpuradusta barbieri barbieri242.德班宝螺Purpuradusta fimbriata durbanensis243.紫端宝螺Purpuradusta fimbriata fimbriata244.马葵宝螺Purpuradusta fimbriata marquesana245.小眼宝螺Purpuradusta gracilis gracilis246.哈蒙宝螺Purpuradusta hammondae hammondae247.鼠齿宝螺Purpuradusta microdon microdon248.小酸枣宝螺Purpuradusta oryzaeformis oryzaeformis249.瑟鲁宝螺Purpuradusta serrulifera serrulifera250.花珠宝螺Pustularia bistrinotata bistrinotata251.矶岭宝螺Pustularia bistrinotata keelingensis252.平庸宝螺Pustularia bistrinotata mediocris253.查氏宝螺Pustularia chiapponii chiapponii254.绣珠宝螺Pustularia cicercula cicercula255.金珠宝螺Pustularia globulus globulus256.真珠宝螺Pustularia margarita margarita257.毛利宝螺Pustularia mauiensis mauiensis258.西非玛瑙宝螺Schilderia achatidea achatidea259.歧见玛瑙宝螺Schilderia achatidea inopinata260.平濑宝螺Schilderia hirasei hirasei261.鸡皮宝螺Staphylaea limacina262.俏皮宝螺Staphylaea limacina facifer263.厚皮宝螺Staphylaea limacina interstincta264.小鲨皮宝螺Staphylaea semiplota semiplota265.罗兰宝螺Staphylaea staphylaea nolani266.鲨皮宝螺Staphylaea staphylaea staphylaea267.柏氏宝螺Talostolida latior burgessi268.酒糟宝螺Talostolida latior latior269.呆绶贝Talostolida pellucens pellucens270.伪痣宝螺Talostolida pseudoteres pseudoteres271.夏威夷宝螺Talostolida rashleighana rashleighana272.突尾宝螺Talostolida subteres subteres273.黑痣宝螺Talostolida teres teres274.帝王酒桶宝螺Talparia talpa imperialis275.大花鼠宝螺Trona stercoraria stercoraria276.金龟车宝螺Umbilia armeniaca277.卡利宝螺Umbilia capricornica capricornica278.陷塔宝螺Umbilia hesitata hesitata279.奥娣宝螺Umbilia oriettae oriettae280.胖鸭宝螺Umbilia petilirostris petilirostris281.龟背宝螺Zoila decipiens decipiens282.金字塔宝螺Zoila decipiens perlae283.深海富人帝氏宝螺Zoila friendii profundicola284.念珠佛可宝螺Zoila friendii vercoi candida285.珍妮宝螺Zoila jeaniana286.凯蒂宝螺Zoila ketyana ketyana287.白猎帽宝螺Zoila marginata albanyensis288.猎帽宝螺Zoila marginata marginata289.马尼拉宝螺Zoila mariellae mariellae290.东方宝螺Zoila orientalis orientalis291.精致宝螺Zoila perlae delicatura292.遗漏宝螺Zoila perlae eludens293.玫瑰宝螺Zoila rosselli rosselli294.鲨鱼湾宝螺Zoila rosselli satiata295.白檀宝螺Zoila thersites contraria296.黑檀宝螺Zoila thersites thersites297.真优美宝螺Zoila venusta episema298.索棱宝螺Zoila venusta episema sorrentensis299.瑰色优美宝螺Zoila venusta roseopunctata300.柴契尔宝螺Zoila venusta thatcheri301.优美宝螺Zoila venusta venusta302.安祺宝螺Zonaria angelicae angelicae303.西非宝螺Zonaria petitiana petitiana304.彩绘宝螺Zonaria picta picta305.红唇宝螺Zonaria pyrum pyrum306.血迹宝螺Zonaria sanguinolenta sanguinolenta307.宽带宝螺Zonaria zonaria
实用价值
宝螺集食用、玩赏和装饰为一身,深得人类喜爱。其中最出色的当属黑星宝螺,这种软体动物分布十分广泛,在太平洋、菲律宾、日本和中国的南海及热带海区都有踪迹。因为上面布满了黑色斑点,酷似美洲虎的斑纹,所以也称"虎皮斑纹贝"。其贝壳光泽夺目,令玩赏者爱不释手,虽然肉可食用,但因其贝壳质优价高,采集者绝不肯将它砸碎食用,而是采到后将它埋于沙内,待它肉体腐烂后洗净售壳。
宝贝中还有一种为货贝(Cypraea moneta),也叫黄宝螺,与人类有着密不可分的关系。这种动物的贝壳小型坚固,略呈卵圆形,背部中央高起,两侧坚厚而低平,可用以装饰和玩赏。历史上世界各地都曾用它作为货币流通使用。中国1981年发行了一套中国古代钱币邮票,其中第一枚上就有一枚货贝币,纪元为公元前十六——十一世纪,可见历史之久远。在汉书食货志上曾详细的记载有货币的五种品级和它所等同的纹银的价值:"大贝四寸八分以上,直钱二百一十文,二贝为朋;牡贝三寸六分以上,直钱五十文,二贝为朋;幺贝二寸四分以上,直钱三十文,二贝为朋;小贝一寸二分以上,直钱十文,二贝为朋;不成贝寸二分漏度,不得为朋,率枚直钱三文是也"。
黄宝螺货币邮票