The genus Cerithidea Swainson, 1840 (Gastropoda: Potamididae) in the Indo-West Pacific region.

Members of the genus Cerithidea are common components of the fauna of mangrove forests, tidal swamps and salt marshes in the Indo-West Pacific province, in marine and brackish conditions. The snails typically rest on the trunks of trees and other vegetation and migrate to the substrate to feed at low tide. In many areas mangrove habitats are under threat and some Cerithidea species are therefore considered to be endangered. In current taxonomic literature, ten species are recognized on the basis of shell morphology. A recently published molecular phylogenetic analysis has increased this to fifteen. The present study is a systematic account of these fifteen recognized species. Of these, two are newly described: C. houbricki and C. andamanensis. The species accounts include full synonymies, detailed descriptions of shells based on 621 museum samples, descriptions of living animals, distribution records and maps, reviews of habitat and ecology, and notes on conservation status.