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Fossarina legrandi facts for kids

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Fossarina legrandi
Minopa legrandi 001.jpg
Drawing with two views of a shell of Fossarina legrandi
Scientific classification
Synonyms
  • Fossarina (Minopa) legrandi Petterd, 1879
  • Gibbula legrandi Tate, R. & May, W.L. 1901
  • Minopa legrandi (Petterd, 1879)
  • Calliotrochus legrandi May, W.L. 1921

Fossarina legrandi, also known as Legrand's top shell, is a very tiny sea snail. It's a type of gastropod mollusc that lives in the ocean. These snails are so small they are often called micromollusks! They belong to the family Trochidae, which are known as top snails.

What it Looks Like

The shell of Legrand's top shell is quite small, growing to about 5 millimeters long. That's about the size of a small pea!

Shell Shape and Color

Its shell is thin and shaped a bit like a flattened globe. It's very shiny, almost see-through, and has a rich brown color.

Shell Features

The tiny top part of the shell, called the spire, has about two and a half turns. This spire doesn't stick up very much. The line where the turns meet, called the suture, is quite deep. The opening of the shell, known as the aperture, looks like a crescent moon and bulges out slightly. Inside, this opening is a little white and slightly wider at its inner edge.

Where it Lives

This sea snail lives only in Australia. You can find it off the coasts of several Australian states, including New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia.

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