Alia carinata

Alia carinata
Sixshells of Alia carinata showing variability
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
(unranked): clade Caenogastropoda
clade Hypsogastropoda
clade Neogastropoda
Superfamily: Buccinoidea
Family: Columbellidae
Subfamily: Columbellinae
Genus: Alia
Species: A. carinata
Binomial name
Alia carinata
(Hinds, 1844)

Alia carinata, common name the "carinate dove shell", is a species of very small sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Columbellidae, the dove snails. [1]

Distribution

This species is found in the Eastern Pacific, from Alaska to Baja California, Mexico.

Description

The adult size of the shell of this species of dove snail can be between 6 mm and 10 mm in length.[2] The body whorl is sometimes carinate (having a pronounced keel), sometimes less so, and sometimes not at all. The shell color is quite variable; it can also be one uniform color or patterned with two shades of color.

External links

References

  1. Monsecour, K. (2012). Alia carinata (Hinds, 1844). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=511703 on 2012-11-22
  2. McLean, James H., 1978 Marine Shells of Southern California, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Museum, Science Series 24, Revised Edition: p. 48