Cantharidella tiberiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cantharidella tiberiana |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Drawing of a shell of Cantharidella tiberiana | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Cantharidella tiberiana is a small and pretty sea snail. It lives in the ocean and is a type of gastropod mollusk. This means it's a snail that lives in the sea! It belongs to the family Trochidae, which are often called "top snails" because of their shell shape.
Contents
What Does Cantharidella tiberiana Look Like?
This snail's shell is quite small. It can be between 4 mm and 9 mm in size. That's less than half an inch!
Shell Shape and Color
The shell is shaped like a cone. It is quite thin and does not have a hole (it's "imperforate"). The color is usually olive green. It has a shiny, pearl-like glow, which is called "nacreous reflections." You might also see wavy, grayish lines on its surface.
Parts of the Shell
The top part of the shell, called the spire, is not too tall. The lines where the shell coils meet, called the "suture," are pressed in. The shell has about 5 to 6 whorls, which are the turns or spirals of the shell. These turns are mostly flat. The largest turn, called the body whorl, has a rounded angle.
The bottom of the shell is slightly ridged. It also has grayish-white spots. The opening of the shell, called the aperture, is slanted and has a square shape. Inside, it is white and shiny like a pearl. The central pillar of the shell, known as the columella, is a bit wide. The outer edge of the opening, the outer lip, is simple and sharp.
Where Does Cantharidella tiberiana Live?
This sea snail lives only in Australia. When an animal lives only in one specific place, it is called "endemic." You can find Cantharidella tiberiana off the coasts of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania.
Learn More
