Archiminolia oleata facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Archiminolia oleata |
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| Original drawing of a shell of Archiminolia oleata | |
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Archiminolia oleata, also known as the shining top shell, is a type of sea snail. It is a marine gastropod mollusk that belongs to the family Solariellidae.
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Discover the Shining Top Shell
The shining top shell was first described in 1906 by scientists Hedley and Petterd. This interesting sea snail gets its common name because its shell looks very glossy, almost as if it has been oiled!
What Does the Shell Look Like?
The shell of the shining top shell is quite thin and has a shape like a spinning top or a cone. It can grow up to 12 millimeters (about half an inch) tall and 16 millimeters wide.
- Shape: The shell has a tall, pointed top, called a spire. Its bottom part is flat.
- Spirals: It has seven whorls, which are like spirals that slowly get bigger.
- Color: The shell is white underneath. Above, it's a light brown color with darker stripes that go outwards from the center.
- Surface: The whole shell looks very shiny. It has thin, spiral lines or "cuts" on its surface. These lines are deepest around the widest part of the shell.
- Opening: The opening of the shell, called the aperture, is shaped like an oval. The edge of the opening is sharp. Inside, it has a white edge, then a brown border, and finally a shiny, pearly layer.
- Belly Button: Like some snails, it has a deep, open hole in the center of its base, called the umbilicus. This hole goes all the way to the very first spiral of the shell.
Where Does It Live?
The shining top shell is a native species to Australia. This means you can only find it living naturally in the waters around Australia.
It lives off the coasts of several Australian states, including:
See Also
Images for kids
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Original drawing of a shell of Archiminolia oleata
