Heterocithara transenna facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Heterocithara transenna |
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| Original image of a shell of Heterocithara transenna | |
| Scientific classification |
Heterocithara transenna is a type of small sea snail. It's a marine gastropod (which means it's a snail or slug) and a kind of mollusk. Mollusks are soft-bodied animals, and many, like this snail, have a hard shell for protection. This particular snail belongs to the family called Mangeliidae.
What Does It Look Like?
The shell of the Heterocithara transenna is quite small. It usually grows to about 5 millimeters (which is half a centimeter) long. Its widest part, called the diameter, is about 2 millimeters.
This snail's shell is very strong and has a shape that's a bit like an egg, but pointy at the top. It also looks like a tower, which is why it's called "turreted." Its color is often a plain gray.
The shell has 6 whorls, which are the turns or spirals that make up the shell. The very first part of the shell, called the protoconch, has two small, smooth, raised whorls.
The surface of the shell has interesting patterns, known as its sculpture. It has strong ribs that run up and down the shell. These ribs are not perfectly straight; they might be a bit broken or shifted, especially where they meet the spiral lines. They also have small bumps, or "nodes," where they cross the spiral lines. These ribs are spaced out more widely on the main part of the shell.
Besides the ribs, the shell also has strong, evenly spaced spiral lines. There are usually nine of these lines on the main part of the shell and three on the whorl just before it.
The opening of the shell, called the aperture, has a thick, noticeable ridge called a varix. This ridge almost closes up the opening. The snail's sinus (a small notch or curve on the lip of the shell) is open and not very deep. The siphonal canal, which is a tube that helps the snail breathe, is just a small notch.
Where Does It Live?
This marine snail is found only in Australia. When an animal or plant is found only in one specific place, it's called endemic to that area. You can find Heterocithara transenna living off the coast of Queensland, a state in northeastern Australia.
