Glaphyrina caudata facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Glaphyrina caudata |
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| shell of Glaphyrina caudata(syntype at MNHN, Paris) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| (unranked): |
clade Caenogastropoda
clade Hypsogastropoda clade Neogastropoda |
| Superfamily: |
Buccinoidea
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| Family: |
Fasciolariidae
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| Genus: |
Glaphyrina
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| Species: |
G. caudata
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| Binomial name | |
| Glaphyrina caudata (Quoy & Gaimard, 1833)
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| Synonyms | |
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Glaphyrina caudata is a type of large sea snail. It is a marine (ocean-living) gastropod mollusc that belongs to the Fasciolariidae family.
Contents
Where It Lives
Distribution
This special sea snail is found only in New Zealand. This means it is endemic to that area.
Habitat
You can find Glaphyrina caudata in shallow ocean waters. They live at depths up to about 110 meters (about 360 feet).
Shell Features
What the Shell Looks Like
The shell of Glaphyrina caudata is fairly small and strong. It is shaped like a spindle, which means it's long and narrow. It also has a moderately long "canal" at its base.
The shell has cool patterns! It has thin, raised lines that spiral around it, like threads. There are about 10 of these lines on the second-to-last swirl of the shell. The spaces between these lines are wider than the lines themselves, especially near the bottom.
It also has vertical, rounded bumps or 'ribs' running up and down. There are about 15 to 20 of these ribs on the main part of the shell. However, they become less noticeable towards the bottom.
Color and Shape
The shell is usually a light yellowish color. The spiral lines on it are a reddish-brown.
The top part of the shell, called the spire, is shaped like a tall cone. It's about the same height as the shell's opening, including its canal. The sides of the spire are straight.
The very first part of the shell, when the snail was a baby, has two smooth, small, and round swirls. The full shell has 8 swirls, or whorls. These whorls get bigger as they go down the shell. They are slightly rounded and have a gentle "shoulder" shape. The last whorl is a bit puffed out.
The line where the whorls meet, called the suture, is not very deep.
Opening and Size
The aperture, or opening, of the shell is large and oval-shaped. It's wide at the top and narrows into a fairly long, open canal at the bottom. The outer edge of the opening is curved and sharp. It has light ridges on the inside.
The columella is the central column inside the shell. It is mostly straight and slightly curved inward. The inner lip of the shell is narrow and spreads over the inner wall. It narrows towards the bottom, forming the inner edge of the canal.
We don't know much about the operculum (a "trapdoor" that some snails have to close their shell).
The shell can grow up to 49.5 millimeters (about 1.9 inches) tall. It can be up to 21 millimeters (about 0.8 inches) wide.
