Clanculus dunkeri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Clanculus dunkeri |
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| A shell of Dunker's clanculus | |
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Clanculus dunkeri, often called Dunker's clanculus, is a fascinating type of sea snail. It's a mollusk that lives in the ocean, belonging to a group called gastropods. These snails are part of the family Trochidae, which are commonly known as "top snails" because of their cone-like shell shape.
What Does Dunker's Clanculus Look Like?
The shell of Dunker's clanculus is quite small. It usually grows to about 9 millimeters (less than half an inch) tall. Its width, or diameter, is a bit larger, ranging from 11 to 13 millimeters.
This snail has a strong, solid shell. It doesn't have a hole, or "umbilicus," which some snails have. Instead, it has a small dip or hollow where that hole would normally be.
The shell is shaped like a cone, but it's also a bit flattened. It has about five whorls, which are the spiral turns of the shell. The very first whorl is often whitish. The rest of the shell can be brownish, purplish, or red.
The shell has cool patterns! It's covered in spiral lines that feel bumpy, almost like tiny beads. There are usually three of these bumpy lines on the second-to-last whorl. On the main body whorl, there are about eight or nine lines. The first bumpy line on the body whorl has bigger beads. The fourth line forms the widest part of the shell. The spaces between these bumpy lines are about the same width as the lines themselves.
The main body whorl is a bit rounded. It slopes down towards the opening of the shell, called the aperture. For adult snails, this opening is a bit narrower and has a triangular shape.
Inside the outer lip of the shell's opening, there are a few deep ridges. The top ridge ends in a small tooth-like bump. The short inner part of the shell, called the columella, is smooth and curved inwards. It ends in a sharp, narrow tooth. This tooth is separated from another smaller bump at the base of the shell by a small notch.
Where Does Dunker's Clanculus Live?
This marine snail is found only in Australia. This means it is "endemic" to Australia, living nowhere else in the world naturally. You can find it in the shallow ocean waters, known as the subtidal zone. This is the area below the low tide mark, where the water always covers the seafloor.
Dunker's clanculus lives off the coasts of several Australian states. These include South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia.
