Phasianotrochus bellulus

Phasianotrochus bellulus
Apertural view of a shell of Phasianotrochus bellulus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Clade: Vetigastropoda
Superfamily: Trochoidea
Family: Trochidae
Genus: Phasianotrochus
Species: P. bellulus
Binomial name
Phasianotrochus bellulus
(Dunker, 1845)
Synonyms
  • Cantharidus bellulus Pilsbry, H.A. 1889
  • Elenchus bellulus Angas, G.F. 1865
  • Trochus bellulus Philippi, R.A. 1845

Phasianotrochus bellulus, common name the necklace shell, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Trochidae, the top snails.[1][2]

Description

The height of the shell varies between 12 mm and 18 mm. The solid, mperforate, acute shell has an elongate-conic shape. It is polished, grayish or pinkish, with a few spiral orange lines, two on the penultimate whorl. The spaces between these lines marked with short white curved lines in pairs, often forming a figure 8 shaped pattern. The about 8 whorls are nearly flat. The body whorl is rounded at the periphery. The spire is attenuated toward the acute purplish apex. The small aperture is contracted, sulcate and iridescent within. The vertical columella is strongly toothed below.

The color pattern is quite constant and characteristic. The interior of the aperture is more coarsely sulcate than in other species, showing only about 6 folds. The outer and basal lips have a slight subrmarginal porcellaneous subdentate thickening, which stops a little space short of the upper termination of the outer lip, [3]

Distribution

This marine species is endemic to Australia and occurs in the shallow subtidal zones off Victoria, Southwest Australia and Tasmania

References

  1. Bouchet, P. (2012). Phasianotrochus bellulus (Dunker, 1845). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=573224 on 2012-11-23
  2. Hickman C.S. (2005) Seagrass fauna of the temperate southern coast of Australia I: The cantharidine trochid gastropods. In: F.E. Wells, D.I. Walker & G.A. Kendrick (eds), The marine flora and fauna of Esperance, Western Australia: 199-220. Western Australian Museum, Perth.
  3. Tryon (1889), Manual of Conchology XI, Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia
External identifiers for Phasianotrochus bellulus
WoRMS 573224
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