Cominella virgata facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cominella virgata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
(unranked):	clade Caenogastropoda clade Hypsogastropoda clade Neogastropoda
Superfamily:	Buccinoidea
Family:	Buccinidae
Subfamily:	Buccininae
Tribe:	Cominellini
Genus:	Cominella
Species:	C. virgata
Binomial name
Cominella virgata H. Adams and A. Adams, 1853
Synonyms
Buccinum lineolatum Quoy & Gaimard, 1833 (Homonym and synonym) Cominella (Cominula) virgata H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853· accepted, alternate representation Cominella (Cominula) virgata brookesi Powell, 1952· accepted, alternate representation Cominella (Josepha) virgata H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853 Cominella virgata virgata H. and A. Adams, 1853 Cominella virgata brookesi Powell, 1952

Cominella virgata is a type of sea snail. It is a predatory animal, meaning it hunts and eats other small creatures. This snail is a mollusc, like clams and octopuses. It belongs to a group of snails called gastropods. Cominella virgata is part of the Buccinidae family, which are known as the true whelks.

Where Does This Snail Live?

This amazing sea snail is found only in New Zealand. This means it is endemic to New Zealand. It's like a special local resident of the ocean around these islands!

Understanding Snail Families

A Cominella virgata shell seen from above.

Scientists study how living things are related to each other. This is called taxonomy. For a long time, there was a group of these snails called Cominella virgata brookesi. This group was thought to be a slightly different type, or subspecies, of Cominella virgata.

However, after looking closely at their DNA, scientists found something interesting. They discovered that Cominella virgata brookesi was exactly the same as the main Cominella virgata group. So, now they are all considered to be just one species.

Images for kids

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  An underside view of Cominella virgata.

See also

In Spanish: Cominella virgata para niños