Aoteadrillia wanganuiensis facts for kids
Aoteadrillia wanganuiensis is a type of small sea snail. It's a marine mollusk, which means it's an animal with a soft body, often protected by a shell, that lives in the ocean. This particular snail belongs to a group called the Horaiclavidae family.
This snail used to be part of a different family called Turridae.
Quick facts for kids Aoteadrillia wanganuiensis |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Image of a shell of Aoteadrillia wanganuiensis | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Contents
What Does This Snail Look Like?
This small snail has a shell that is usually whitish in color. It's shaped like a spindle, which means it's wider in the middle and tapers at both ends.
Shell Size and Shape
The shell of Aoteadrillia wanganuiensis is quite small. It grows to about 9 millimeters (less than half an inch) long. Its widest part, called the diameter, is about 3.9 millimeters.
The top part of the shell, called the spire, is tall. It's longer than the main body part of the shell. The shell has several turns, or whorls, that are rounded.
Shell Patterns and Features
The shell has interesting patterns on its surface. It has strong spiral lines and ribs that go diagonally across the middle. The lines where the whorls join, called the suture, also have fine diagonal lines and a spiral rib.
The opening of the shell, called the aperture, is oval-shaped. At the bottom of the opening, there's a short tube called the siphonal canal.
Some shells have a row of large, oval bumps or nodules around the middle of each whorl. There are about 14 of these bumps on each turn of the shell. These bumps can be slightly stretched out and sometimes have a small groove in the middle.
There are also strong spiral cords or threads on the shell. One strong cord is usually found just below the suture. The base of the shell has many fine spiral threads that are close together.
All these patterns are crossed by very fine, wavy lines. These lines show how the shell grew over time.
Inside the Shell
The very first part of the shell, called the protoconch, has two tiny whorls. These tiny whorls have microscopic spiral lines. The very tip of the protoconch is rounded, and the second turn has a sharp ridge.
The shell usually has seven whorls in total. They get bigger steadily as they grow. The main body whorl is slightly rounded and narrows down at the bottom.
The opening of the shell is angled at the top. It extends into a short, open siphonal canal at the bottom. The outer edge of the opening, called the lip, is sharp. It has a rounded notch or "sinus" in the area above the row of bumps. This sinus is where the snail's siphon, a tube it uses for breathing, would sit.
The inner part of the shell opening, called the columella, is slightly curved. The inner lip is thin and narrow. We don't know much about the snail's operculum, which is like a trapdoor that some snails use to close their shell.
Where Does This Snail Live?
This sea snail is endemic to New Zealand. This means it is found only in New Zealand and nowhere else in the world. It lives off the coast of Ninety Mile Beach, which is on the North Island of New Zealand.
Scientists have also found fossils of this snail. These fossils were discovered in Pliocene rock layers in New Zealand. This tells us that this type of snail has been living in the waters around New Zealand for a very long time!
