Austrodrillia dimidiata facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Austrodrillia dimidiata |
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| Original image of a shell of Austrodrillia dimidiata | |
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Austrodrillia dimidiata is a type of small sea snail. It's a marine mollusk that belongs to a group called gastropods, which includes snails and slugs. This particular snail is part of the family Horaiclavidae.
It used to be placed in a different family called Turridae.
Contents
What Does Austrodrillia dimidiata Look Like?
This sea snail has a solid, long, and spindle-shaped shell. It's quite small, usually about 7.9 mm long. That's less than one centimeter! The shell is also very narrow, only about 2 mm wide.
Shell Features
The shell has about six and a half whorls, which are the spiral turns of the shell. The very first part, called the protoconch, is smooth and blends into the rest of the shell, known as the spire.
As the shell grows, it develops faint bumps or ridges that run along its length. These are called axial angulations. The shell also has a slightly rounded shape and a simple line, called a suture, where the whorls join.
Opening and Lip
The opening of the shell, known as the aperture, is shaped like an oval. It's set at a slight angle. The snail's siphonal canal, which is a short tube at the bottom of the shell, is wide and slightly notched.
The outer lip of the shell is strong but has a sharp edge. It features a deep, round notch called a sinus. The inner lip of the shell is smooth and covered with a thin, shiny layer.
Patterns and Color
The surface of the shell has tiny spiral lines that create flat, slightly rounded ribs. These ribs become more numerous towards the wider part of the shell. If you look very closely, you might see tiny scratch-like lines all over the surface.
The shell has a brown color overall. It's decorated with darker, irregular spots and cloud-like patterns. There's also a narrow white spiral band with brown markings, and a wider brown spiral band with white markings.
Where Does Austrodrillia dimidiata Live?
This marine snail is endemic to Australia. This means it is only found in Australia and nowhere else in the world! You can find it living off the coast of South Australia.
