Nassarius obsoletus
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| ;"|Eastern mudsnail | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Nassarius obsoletus[1] Say, 1822 |
The eastern mudsnail, Nassarius obsoletus, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Nassariidae, the nassa mud snails.
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[edit] Distribution
This western Atlantic species is found from Nova Scotia to Georgia.
[edit] Habitat
This snail is very common on mud flats in the intertidal and shallow subtidal zones, in sounds and inlets.
[edit] Shell description
This species has a small shell. It has a slightly rough exterior because the surface has weak spiral and axial ribs. The shell has an oval aperture with a small notch or siphonal canal at the anterior end. The aperture has a smooth inner lip with a partial shield. The outer lip is thin and smooth.
The exterior of the shell is a chalky white, covered by a very dark brown, closely-adhering periostracum, except where the periostracum has been eroded. The apex of the shell is almost always eroded and the shell is often quite damaged by the sometimes acidic properties of the mud in which the animal lives.
The maximum shell length is a little more than one inch or about 28 mm.
[edit] Life habits
This species is a detritus feeder, eating whatever is found in the film on top of the mud where it lives, including many microscopic marine plants.
[edit] References
- ^ ITIS- N. obsoletus. Retrieved on 2007-02-19.
