Micrelenchus sanguineus sanguineus

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Micrelenchus sanguineus sanguineus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Prosobranchia
Order: Archaeogastropoda
Superfamily: Trochacea
Family: Trochidae
Genus: Micrelenchus
Species: M. sanguineus
Subspecies: M. sanguineus sanguineus
Trinomial name
Micrelenchus sanguineus sanguineus
(Gray, 1843)
Synonyms

Trochus sanguineus Gray, 1843
Cantharidus pupillus Suter, 1913
Cantharidus oliveri Iredale, 1915

Micrelenchus sanguineus sanguineus is a subspecies of small sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Trochidae, the top shells.

Contents

[edit] Distribution

This subspecies is endemic to New Zealand, south to Banks peninsula in the South Island.

[edit] Habitat

This top snail is found in shallow water.

[edit] Shell description

The shell is tall-conical, solid, imperforate, sculptured with broad flat spirals, separated by deeply incised linear grooves, five to six cords on the penultimate and about 13 on the body whorl and base.

Shell coloration is greenish-olive, crossed obliquely by closely spaced dark red narow stripes. The interior of the aperture is brilliantly iridescent.

The shell height is up to 8.5 mm, and the width is up to 7.25 mm.

[edit] References