Australian Pheasant facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Australian Pheasant
Drawing of a shell of Phasianella australis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Class:	Gastropoda
(unranked):	clade Vetigastropoda
Superfamily:	Phasianelloidea
Family:	Turbinidae
Subfamily:	Phasianellinae
Genus:	Phasianella
Species:	P. australis
Binomial name
Phasianella australis Gmelin, 1788
Synonyms
Buccinum tritonis Chemnitz, 1788 Bulimus phasianus Perry, G., 1810 Phasianella bulimoides Lamarck Phasianella decorata Chenu Phasianella delicatula Tenison-Woods, J.E., 1877 Phasianella lehmanni Menke, 1830 Phasianella picta DeBlain Phasianella preissi Menke, 1830 Phasianella tritonis Chemnitz, 1788 Phasianella varia Lamarck

The Phasianella australis, often called the Australian pheasant, painted lady, or pheasant snail, is a type of sea snail. These snails are medium to large in size. They have a hard, colorful shell and a special lid called an operculum. This amazing creature is a mollusc that lives in the marine environment.

What Does the Australian Pheasant Snail Look Like?

The Australian pheasant snail has the largest shell in its group, the Phasianella genus. Its shell can be anywhere from 40 mm (about 1.5 inches) to 100 mm (about 4 inches) tall.

Shell Features

• The shell is quite thin and has a long, pointed oval shape.
• It has a tall, cone-shaped top called a spire.
• The shell has 7 to 8 slightly rounded sections, or whorls. These whorls are a bit flat just below the lines that separate them, called sutures.
• The opening of the shell, known as the aperture, is long and oval-shaped. It usually makes up less than half of the shell's total length.
• The outer edge of the opening, called the lip, is thin.
• Inside the shell, there's a part called the columella. It often has a shiny white coating.

Shell Colors and Patterns

The shell of the Australian pheasant snail is very colorful and unique. It has patterns that look like clouds running lengthwise. It also has stripes and spots of red and purple-olive colors. These patterns are set against a shiny background that can be flesh-colored, cream, or white. The exact colors and patterns can be very different from one snail to another!

Where Does the Australian Pheasant Snail Live?

This marine snail lives in the waters off the coasts of Australia and Tasmania.

External Links