Antisolarium egenum facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Antisolarium egenum
Drawing of a shell of Antisolarium egenum
Scientific classification
Synonyms
Margarita dilecta A. Adams, 1855 Monilea zealandica Hutton, 1873 Monilea egena Suter, 1913 Solarium egenum Gould, 1849 (original description) Torinia egena Marshall in Tryon, 1887

Antisolarium egenum is a tiny sea snail. It is a type of mollusc that lives in the ocean. This snail belongs to the family Trochidae, which are often called "top shells" because of their shape.

About the Shell

The shell of the Antisolarium egenum is quite small. It usually measures between 4 and 7.5 millimeters long. The shell is thin and shaped like a low cone or an egg.

Shell Features

• Color: The outside of the shell is a grayish-white color. Inside, it has a shiny, pearly look.
• Whorls: The shell has six whorls, which are the spiral turns of the shell. These whorls are rounded or convex. The very last whorl, called the body whorl, is slightly angled.
• Ribs: Each whorl has four raised lines, or ribs, circling around it. These ribs are sharp and stand out. The two ribs at the top of each whorl have small, bead-like bumps on them.
• Spaces: The areas between the ribs are curved inwards and smooth. There is also a small groove near the edge of the shell's central opening.
• Umbilicus: The shell has a deep, wide hole at its base, called an umbilicus. This hole takes up about one-third of the shell's base. It looks like a tunnel and goes all the way to the very top, or apex, of the shell. The sides of this tunnel are carved out on each whorl, and its edge has small, wavy bumps.
• Opening: The shell's opening, or aperture, is almost perfectly round. The inner part of the opening is shiny and pearly. The edge of the opening, called the lip, is simple and smooth.

Where It Lives

This sea snail is found only in New Zealand. This means it is endemic to that country.

See also

In Spanish: Antisolarium egenum para niños