Sigapatella novaezelandiae

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sigapatella novaezelandiae
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Orthogastropoda
Superorder: Heterobranchia
Order: Littorinimorpha
Superfamily: Calyptraeoidea
Family: Calyptraeidae
Genus: Sigapatella
Species: S. novaezelandiae
Binomial name
Sigapatella novaezelandiae
(Lesson, 1831)
Synonyms

Calyptraea novaezelandiae Lesson, 1831
Crepidula maculata Quoy and Gaimard, 1835
Crepidula novaezelandiae Iredale, 1915

Sigapatella novaezelandiae is a species of medium-sized sea snail, a marine gastropod molluscs in the family Calyptraeidae.

Contents

[edit] Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand.

[edit] Habitat

This snail lives intertidally and to depths of at least 45 m.

[edit] Shell description

The shell is large, rather elevated, with an off-centre spire, convex whorls, and an almost circular base. The inner septum, or shelf, is large, with an evenly arcuate edge, and it occupies almost half the area of the base. The periostracum is thick and yellowish-brown.

The shell coloration is whitish, with one or two spiral bands, or a single broad zone, of purplish-brown. The interior is white, stained violet to brownish towards and under the septum.

The shell height is up to 25 mm, and width 33 mm.

[edit] References