Neogastropoda

Neogastropoda is a major clade of marine gastropods within the Caenogastropoda, comprising the majority of living predatory sea snails. In many classifications it is treated as a clade rather than a formal rank; historically it was described as an order within the now obsolete grouping Prosobranchia. The group is diverse in form and habit, but shares a general predatory lifestyle and several key anatomical features.

Most neogastropods have a well-developed siphon and a siphonal canal, and many possess an elongated shell. A predatory radula is common, and in several lineages the radula is toxoglossan, specialized for delivering venom to prey. The head is usually well developed with eyes on the tentacles, and the foot is adapted for active predation and maneuvering in complex substrates. These features support a broad range of feeding strategies, including drilling, predation on other mollusks, and scavenging.

Ecology and behavior: Neogastropods are predominantly marine and occupy habitats from shallow tidal zones to deep-sea environments. Diets vary but are typically carnivorous, targeting mollusks, polychaetes, barnacles, and carrion. Reproductive modes range from broadcast spawning to direct development, with many species releasing planktonic larvae that disperse widely.

Diversity and notable groups: The clade includes many familiar families such as Muricidae (murexes), Buccinidae (whelks), Naticidae (moon snails), Olividae (olive snails), Mitridae, and Conidae (cone snails). The superfamily Conoidea, within Neogastropoda, contains numerous venomous lineages and is of particular interest for its specialized predatory adaptations.

Fossil record and evolution: The group has a fossil record extending back to the Jurassic, with diversification accelerating in the Cretaceous. Key adaptations include the development of the siphon and the toxoglossan radula, which facilitated refined predatory strategies. Neogastropods are globally distributed, with high species richness in tropical and temperate seas.