Fossarina patula facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fossarina patula |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Drawing of a shell of Fossarina patula | |
Scientific classification  |
|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Vetigastropoda |
| Order: | Trochida |
| Superfamily: | Trochoidea |
| Family: | Trochidae |
| Genus: | Fossarina |
| Species: |
F. patula
|
| Binomial name | |
| Fossarina patula (A. Adams & Angas, 1863)
|
|
| Script error: The function "autoWithCaption" does not exist. | |
| Synonyms | |
|
|
Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".
Fossarina patula is a very tiny sea snail. It's a type of mollusc that lives in the ocean. These snails are also called gastropods or micromollusks because they are so small. They belong to the family called Trochidae, which are often known as "top snails."
What is Fossarina patula?
Fossarina patula is a fascinating little creature of the sea. It's a type of snail that carries its home, a shell, on its back. These snails are part of a huge group of animals called molluscs. Molluscs include clams, octopuses, and squids.
Shell Features
The shell of Fossarina patula is quite small. It usually grows to about 6 mm long. That's less than a quarter of an inch! The shell has a special opening called an umbilicus. This opening is wide and has a sharp edge.
The shell also has interesting patterns. It has spiral lines, called ribs, that go around it. Some ribs are bigger, and some are smaller. These ribs have small bumps on them, like tiny beads. The bottom of the shell has simpler ribs.
The shell is mostly whitish. It has a few dark brown spots scattered on it. The shell is made up of three parts that spiral around. These parts are called whorls, and they are rounded or convex. The opening of the shell, called the outer lip, curves upwards at the back.
Where Does Fossarina patula Live?
This small sea snail lives only in Australia. When an animal or plant lives only in one specific place, it's called endemic. So, Fossarina patula is endemic to Australia.
You can find these snails in the ocean waters off the coasts of several Australian states. These include New South Wales, Tasmania, and Victoria. They are marine species, meaning they live in saltwater environments.
Images for kids
-
Drawing of a shell of Fossarina patula
 | Lonnie Johnson |
 | Granville Woods |
 | Lewis Howard Latimer |
 | James West |
