Foregut anatomy of the Cochlespirinae (Gastropoda, Conoidea, Turridae)

The foregut anatomy of eight genera and 20 species of the subfamily Cochlespirinae is described. A cladistic analysis based on several most important characters (morphology of proboscis, position of buccal sphincters, histology of venom gland, position of the venom gland opening, structure of muscular bulb, and morphology of radular teeth) revealed three more or less well-defined groups within the subfamily. The main feature characterizing the subfamily as a whole and separating groups within it, appeared to be the structure of venom gland and its muscular bulb. The subgenus Sibogasyrinx of the genus Leucosyrinx was shown to deserve a genus status. Some genera appeared to be intermediate between Cochlespirinae and Crassispirinae in some anatomical characters, and their taxonomic position remains not completely clear.