Hemilienardia hersilia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hemilienardia hersilia |
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| Original image of a shell of Hemilienardia hersilia | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
| Order: | Neogastropoda |
| Superfamily: | Conoidea |
| Family: | Raphitomidae |
| Genus: | Hemilienardia |
| Species: |
H. hersilia
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| Binomial name | |
| Hemilienardia hersilia Hedley, 1922
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| Synonyms | |
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Lienardia (Hemilienardia) hersilia (Hedley, 1922) |
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The Hemilienardia hersilia is a tiny sea snail. It's a type of mollusk called a gastropod, and it belongs to the family of snails known as Raphitomidae. This snail was first described by Hedley in 1922.
Contents
About the Hemilienardia hersilia Snail
What Does This Snail Look Like?
The shell of the Hemilienardia hersilia is quite small. It usually grows to about 3.5 millimeters (which is less than half a centimeter!) long. Its widest part, called the diameter, is about 1.7 millimeters.
The shell has a pointed, oval shape. It's a dull white color. You might notice an opaque white band on the back of its main body part. The shell has seven whorls, which are the turns or spirals of the shell. The top three whorls are called the apical whorls.
Shell Patterns and Features
The shell has interesting patterns:
- Ribs: It has vertical ribs that are not continuous. They are quite noticeable but get smaller near the seams (sutures) and disappear at the base. There are about ten of these ribs on each whorl.
- Cords: There are also prominent spiral cords that go over the ribs. You can see four of these cords on the whorl just before the main body whorl. The main body whorl has twelve spiral cords. The five cords closest to the front of the shell are beaded, meaning they have small bumps.
The opening of the shell, called the aperture, has a curved shape. There's a special thickened part called a varix that looks like a double rib. This varix has eight spirals across it and four small bumps (tubercles) along its edge. These bumps get bigger as they go up. Inside the shell, the central pillar, or columella, has two deep folds. The snail's siphonal canal, which helps it breathe and feed, is wide and not very deep.
Where Does This Snail Live?
This marine snail is found in the ocean. It is endemic to Australia, meaning it naturally lives only there. Specifically, it has been found off the coast of Queensland. Interestingly, it has also been spotted in the Western Indian Ocean, showing it can live in different warm waters.
