Clanculus undatus facts for kids
Clanculus undatus, also known as the wavy Australian monodont, is a type of sea snail. It's a gastropod (which means "stomach-foot") and a mollusk, belonging to the family Trochidae. These snails are often called "top snails" because of their cone-like shell shape.
Quick facts for kids Clanculus undatus |
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| Apertural view of a shell of Clanculus undatus | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Vetigastropoda |
| Order: | Trochida |
| Superfamily: | Trochoidea |
| Family: | Trochidae |
| Genus: | Clanculus |
| Species: |
C. undatus
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| Binomial name | |
| Clanculus undatus Lamarck, 1816
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| Synonyms | |
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What Does the Wavy Australian Monodont Look Like?
The shell of the wavy Australian monodont can be quite large for a snail. It usually measures between 20 mm and 40 mm, which is about the size of a large marble or a golf ball. This makes it one of the biggest snails in the Clanculus group.
Its shell has a shape like a flattened cone. It can be gray or rose-colored. Often, it has brown or black stripes that spread out from the center. Sometimes these stripes are broken up into irregular spots, especially on the bottom of the shell.
The shell has about six whorls, which are the spiral turns of the shell. These whorls are rounded at the top but then flatten out. The very tip of the shell, called the apex, can sometimes look worn down.
The opening of the shell, called the aperture, is shaped like a rectangle. The edges of this opening are thick and have small folds inside. The central pillar of the shell, known as the columella, has about 10 small teeth-like bumps.
Where Does This Snail Live?
This sea snail is endemic to Australia. This means it is found only in Australia and nowhere else in the world!
You can find the wavy Australian monodont in the waters off several Australian states:
 | Dorothy Vaughan |
 | Charles Henry Turner |
 | Hildrus Poindexter |
 | Henry Cecil McBay |
