Siphonaria australis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Siphonaria australis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Orthogastropoda
Superorder: Heterobranchia
Order: Pulmonata
Family: Siphonariidae
Genus: Siphonaria
Species: S. australis
Binomial name
Siphonaria australis
Quoy & Gaimard, 1833

Siphonaria australis is a species of air-breathing sea snail or false limpet, a marine pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Siphonariidae, the false limpets.

Contents

[edit] Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand. It is found from Cook Strait south, including Stewart Island, the Chatham Islands, and the Snares Islands.

[edit] Habitat

This snail is found on the holdfasts of the giant kelp genus Durvillea.

[edit] Shell description

The shell is broadly ovate, of low profile, sculptured with numerous, subequal, undulating, rounded radial ribs.

The shell coloration is greyish-white externally, with light brownish between the ribs. Internally, it is liver-brown, whitish at the termination of the ribs, and clouded with dark brown over the central area.

The shell length is up to 27 mm, width up to 22 mm, and height up to 7 mm.

[edit] References