Exomilus lutarius facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Exomilus lutarius |
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| Original image of a shell of Exomilus lutarius | |
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Mangelia lutaria Hedley, 1907 |
Exomilus lutarius is a tiny sea snail that lives in the ocean. It's a type of mollusk with a shell, just like land snails, but it lives in the sea! This snail belongs to a group called Raphitomidae.
Shell Features
The shell of Exomilus lutarius is quite small. It's usually about 3 millimeters long and 1.15 millimeters wide. That's about the size of a tiny ant!
The shell has five whorls, which are like the spirals or turns you see on a snail shell. The first three whorls are part of the snail's very first shell, called the protoconch. This part looks a bit like a tiny turban!
The shell's surface has a special pattern called sculpture. It has deep, narrow pits that look like a grid. These pits are formed where strong, raised lines cross each other. There are about a dozen of these lines on each whorl.
The opening of the shell, called the aperture, is long and narrow. It has a thick edge that helps protect the snail. Inside, there's a part called the columella, which is almost straight. The snail also has a very short and wide siphonal canal, which helps it breathe and filter water.
Where It Lives
This marine snail is found only in Australia. It lives off the coast of New South Wales.
