Nassarius distortus

Nassarius distortus
	A shell of Nassarius distortus
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Neogastropoda
Family:	Nassariidae
Genus:	Nassarius
Species:	N. distortus
Binomial name
	Nassarius distortus; (A. Adams, 1852)
Synonyms
	Buccinum coronatum Quoy & Gaimard, 1833; Buccinum monile Kiener, 1834; Nassa (Alectrion) monilis (Kiener, 1853); Nassa (Alectryon) monilis (Kiener, 1853); Nassa distorta A. Adams, 1852; Nassa lachrymosa Reeve, 1853; Nassa monile (Kiener, 1834); Nassarius (Niotha) distortus (A. Adams, 1852); Nassarius monile (Kiener, 1853);

Nassarius distortus, common name : the distorted nassa, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Nassariidae, the Nassa mud snails or dog whelks.^[1]

Description

The shell size varies between 18 mm and 35 mm

The ovate, conical shell is smooth, polished, and whitish. A decurrent band of a rose color is seen beneath the suture, and three others surround the middle of the lowest whorl. That of the middle is broader and more apparent. The spire is composed of seven slightly convex whorls, ornamented with longitudinal ribs formed like folds, numerous and slightly elevated. The upper edge of the whorls is a little flattened. The base of the lowest is accompanied with two distinct ridges. The suture is edged with rounded tubercles situated between each fold, where they form a sort of necklace. The white aperture is ovate, contracted above by a transverse fold of the callosity. The outer lip is subtruncated, somewhat denticulated upon the lower edge, and marked with transverse striae internally. The columella edge is covered by a pretty thick callosity, spreading a little upon the belly of the shell.^[2]

Distribution

This marine species has a wide distribution in the Indo-West Pacific; also occurs off Australia (Queensland)

References

^ ^a ^b Nassarius distortus (A. Adams, 1852). Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 28 February 2011.
^ Kiener (1840). General species and iconography of recent shells : comprising the Massena Museum, the collection of Lamarck, the collection of the Museum of Natural History, and the recent discoveries of travellers; Boston :W.D. Ticknor,1837 (described as Buccinum monile)

Adams, A. 1852. Catalogue of the species of Nassa, a genus of Gasteropodous Mollusca, belonging to the family Buccinidae, in the Collection of Hugh Cuming, Esq., with the description of some new species. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1851(19): 94–112
Reeve, L.A. 1853. Monograph of the genus Nassa. pls 1–25 in Reeve, L.A. (ed). Conchologia Iconica. London : L. Reeve Vol. 8.
Dautzenberg, Ph. (1929). Mollusques testacés marins de Madagascar. Faune des Colonies Francaises, Tome III
Cernohorsky W. O. (1984). Systematics of the family Nassariidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda). Bulletin of the Auckland Institute and Museum 14: 1–356
Wilson, B. 1994. Australian Marine Shells. Prosobranch Gastropods. Kallaroo, WA : Odyssey Publishing Vol. 2 370 pp.

External links

"Nassarius (Niotha) distortus". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 28 February 2011.

Media related to Nassarius distortus at Wikimedia Commons

[WoRMS-1] Nassarius distortus (A. Adams, 1852). Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 28 February 2011.

[Kiener-2] Kiener (1840). General species and iconography of recent shells : comprising the Massena Museum, the collection of Lamarck, the collection of the Museum of Natural History, and the recent discoveries of travellers; Boston :W.D. Ticknor,1837 (described as Buccinum monile)

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