fusus

Fusus is a historically used genus name for certain spindle-shaped sea snails in the family Fasciolariidae. The shells are elongated and fusiform, typically with a high spire and a long siphonal canal, and they may show various patterns of spiral and axial sculpture. The living snails are predatory, feeding on other mollusks and sometimes barnacles, aided by their siphon and chemosensory abilities.

In modern taxonomy, many species once placed in Fusus have been reassigned to other genera, notably Fusinus, Fasciolaria, or related groups. As a result, Fusus is commonly treated as a historical or obsolete genus name in current classifications, with Fusinus representing the primary spindle snail lineage. Some sources also treat Fusus as a synonym of Fusinus or reserve the name for certain fossil taxa.

Geographically, species historically associated with Fusus occur in marine environments worldwide, inhabiting habitats from shallow subtidal zones to greater depths depending on the species. They are generally carnivorous, using their well-developed siphon to detect prey.

The fossil record of Fusus includes various extinct species described from Cretaceous to Neogene deposits, illustrating the long presence of spindle-shaped fasciolariids in marine ecosystems. In paleontological and taxonomic literature, Fusus frequently appears in older works, where it may refer to taxa now placed in Fusinus or other fasciolariid genera.