Preliminary study on the taxonomy of marine gastropod shells at the intertidal areas of Puting Buhangin, Laiya Batangas

A preliminary study of marine gastropod shells was conducted from the intertidal areas of Puting Buhangin, Laiya, Batangas, fronting Tayabas Bay. The collection of specimen was conducted for a period of three months from September to November 1995. The collected specimen were identified and classified under 1 subclass (Prosobranchia), 3 orders (Archaegastropoda, Mesogastropda, Neogastropoda), 3 suborders (Taenioglossa, Rachiglossa, Toxoglossa), 8 superfamilies (Trochacea, Neritacea, Srombacea, Cypraeacea, Buccinacea, Volutacea, Muricacea, Conacea), 11 families (Angaridae, Turbinidae, Trochidae, Neritidae, Strombidae, Cypraeidae, Buccinidae, Turbinellidae, Muricidae, Cancellariidae, Conidae), which were differentiated into 16 genera (Angaria, Turbo, Monodonta, Tectus, Trochus, Nerita, Strombus, Lambis, Cypraea, Cantharus, Vasum, Chicoreus, Drupa, Thais, Cancellaria, Conus). Out of the 16 genera, the genus Conus is most represented by having 9 species which are as follows: C. floccatus, C. planorbis, C. virgo, C. caracteristicus, C. ebraeus, C. caracteristicus, C. emaciatus, C. musicus, C. arenatus. The remaining species are as follows: under genus Angaria, 1 species - A. delphinus, genus Turbo, 4 species- T. cinereus, T. chrysostomus, T. argyrostomus, T. cinereus, T. bruneus, genus Monodonta, 1 species- M. labio, genus Tectus, 2 species-niloticus, genus Nerita, 2 species- N. undata, N. planospira, genus Strombus, 3 species- S. luhuanus, S. labiatus, S. aurisdianae, genus Lambis, 2 species- lambis, L. millepeda, genus Cypraea, 1 species, 1 species- C. caputserpentis, genus Cantharus, 1 species-C undosus, genus Vasum, 1 species-V. turbinellum, genus Chicoreus, 1 species-C. microphyllus, genus Drupa, 2 species- D. ricinus, D. morum, genus Thais, 1 species- C. elegans. It was found that marine gastropod shells are less abundant in the collection site as compared to the finding of Gil (1990)