Cominella otagoensis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cominella otagoensis |
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_otagoensis_(Finlay,_1926)_(AM_MA70892-1).jpg) |
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| Shell of Cominella otagoensis (specimen at the Auckland War Memorial Museum) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
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clade Caenogastropoda
clade Hypsogastropoda clade Neogastropoda |
| Superfamily: |
Buccinoidea
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| Tribe: |
Cominellini
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| Genus: |
Cominella
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| Species: |
C. otagoensis
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| Binomial name | |
| Cominella otagoensis (Finlay, 1927)
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Cominella otagoensis is a type of sea snail that lives in the ocean. It's a special kind of snail that hunts other small creatures for food. This snail belongs to a big group of animals called molluscs, which also includes clams and octopuses. It's part of the gastropod family, which means "stomach-foot," because they move on a muscular foot. Cominella otagoensis is known as a true whelk, belonging to the Buccinidae family.
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Meet the Cominella otagoensis Snail
This fascinating sea snail, Cominella otagoensis, is a species found only in the waters around New Zealand. It's a predatory animal, meaning it actively hunts for its food in the ocean.
What is a Gastropod Mollusc?
Cominella otagoensis is a gastropod mollusc. Molluscs are soft-bodied animals, often protected by a hard shell. Gastropods are the largest group of molluscs. They include snails and slugs. They get their name from Greek words meaning "stomach-foot," because they move using a strong, muscular foot.
True Whelks: The Buccinidae Family
Cominella otagoensis belongs to the Buccinidae family. These are often called "true whelks." Whelks are a type of sea snail that usually have a spiral shell. Many whelks, like Cominella otagoensis, are predators. They use a special ribbon-like tongue called a radula to drill into the shells of their prey.
How it Hunts for Food
As a predatory sea snail, Cominella otagoensis plays an important role in its ocean home. It hunts smaller marine creatures. This helps keep the ocean ecosystem balanced. These snails are skilled hunters, moving slowly but surely to find their next meal.
Where Does Cominella otagoensis Live?
This marine species is endemic to New Zealand. This means it is found naturally only in New Zealand and nowhere else in the world. Its home is the coastal waters of New Zealand, where it lives on the seabed.
Why is Endemic Important?
When a species is endemic, it means it has evolved in a specific place. This makes it unique to that region. Protecting endemic species like Cominella otagoensis is very important. It helps keep the natural balance of New Zealand's marine environment.
See also
- In Spanish: Cominella otagoensis para niños
