Incisura (gastropod) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Incisura
Incisura rosea shell
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
(unranked):	clade Vetigastropoda
Superfamily:	Scissurelloidea
Family:	Scissurellidae
Genus:	Incisura Hedley, 1904
Type species
Scissurella lyttleltonensis E. A. Smith, 1894

Incisura is a group of very small sea snails. They are sometimes called keyhole limpets because of a small opening in their shell. These amazing creatures live in the sea. They are a type of mollusc, which is a group of animals with soft bodies. Snails like Incisura belong to a larger group called gastropods.

About Incisura Snails

Incisura snails are part of the Scissurellidae family. This family includes many tiny sea snails. These snails are found in marine environments, meaning they live in the ocean. They are often found on the seafloor.

What are Gastropods?

Gastropods are a very large and diverse group of molluscs. This group includes all snails and slugs. Most gastropods have a single, often coiled, shell. They move around using a muscular "foot." Snails like Incisura use their foot to crawl along surfaces in the ocean.

Where Do Incisura Snails Live?

Incisura snails live in the ocean. They are marine animals. Many species of Incisura have been found in the waters around New Zealand. They often live in deeper parts of the ocean, but some can be found closer to shore. They are usually very small, making them hard to spot.

Types of Incisura Snails

There are several known species within the Incisura group. Each species has its own unique features. Here are some of the species that scientists have identified:

• Incisura auriformis Geiger & Jansen, 2004
• Incisura lytteltonensis (E. A. Smith, 1894)
• Incisura remota (Iredale, 1924)
• Incisura rosea (Hedley, 1904)

Changing Names of Species

Sometimes, the names of species can change over time. This happens when scientists learn new things about them. For example, a species might be moved to a different group. Or, two names might be found to be for the same animal. This is called "synonymy." Here are some examples for Incisura:

• Incisura obliqua (Watson, 1886) is now known as Scissurella obliqua Watson, 1886.
• Incisura vincentiana (Cotton, 1945) is now considered the same as Incisura remota (Iredale, 1924).