Cymbiolacca
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Cymbiolacca | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Frazer Island Volute, Cymbiolacca pulchra frazerensis
|
||||||||||||||||
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
| Species | ||||||||||||||||
Cymbiolacca perplicata |
Cymbiolacca is a small taxonomic genus of medium sized predatory marine gastropod in the family Volutidae. It is often treated as a subgenus of Cymbiola Swainson, 1831.
Contents |
[edit] Distribution
Cymbiolacca live in colonies on and near the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland Australia, and on reefs in the Coral Sea. Cymbiolacca species live in coral sand substrates on intertidal reef platforms to depths of over 100 m. Populations or colonies of Cymbiolacca are usually narrowly endemic.
[edit] Shell description
The shells of Cymbiolacca have a small conical (usually ribbed) protoconch, a solid glossy shell with a spiny shoulder (sometimes reduced) and an elongate aperture with 4 distinct columellar plicae. The colour pattern of Cymbiolacca is polymorphic, the base colour is white and it is usually overlaid with axial lines, dashes or dots and a pink, orange, red or brown tented pattern.
The largest species (reaching 140 mm in length) are Cymbiolacca thatcheri from reeftops in the Coral Sea and a population of Cymbiolacca intruderi from deep water outside the Great Barrier Reef north east of Townsville. The most widespread and polymorphic species is Cymbiolacca pulchra from the Great Barrier Reef.
[edit] Biology
Cymbiolacca are mostly nocturnal and predate on other gastropods. During the day they remain buried in coral sand. At night the emerge and crawl on top of the sand searching for prey. They envelop prey with their colourful foot and bury in the sand to consume it. Like other Volutidae Cymbiolacca have internal fertilization and lay eggs from which snail develop directly. There is no pelagic stage. This has resulted in a wide variety of forms, each endemic to a particular population.
[edit] Taxonomy
The polymorphic narrowly endemic populations of Cymbiolacca have influenced taxonomist to apply many names at species and subspecific levels to this genus. Studies of the phylogeny of this group may resolve this issue and provide a stable taxonomy.
 from near Broadhurst Reef |
Cymbiolacca pulchra cracenta Square.jpg
from near Square Reef |
Cymbiolacca pulchra frazerensis.jpg
from near Frazer Island |
Cymbiolacca pulchra peristicta Big Sandy.jpg
from Big Sandy Reef, Swain Reefs |
|
Cymbiolacca pulchra peristicta NE Swains.jpg
from NE Swain Reefs |
Cymbiolacca pulchra pulchra Lady Musgrave.jpg
from Lady Musgrave Reef |
Cymbiolacca pulchra pulchra NW.jpg
from North West Reef |
 from Keeper Reef |
|
Cymbiolacca pulchra wisemani Britomart.jpg
from Britomart Reef |
[edit] References
"The "pulchra complex" Bail P & Limpus A, Evolver, Rome 1998 ISBN 88-8299-001-X
"Australian marine shells 2" Wilson B, Odyssey Publishing, Kallaroo, Western Australia 1994 ISBN 0-646-155225-4
