Inquisitor spicata facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Inquisitor spicata |
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Inquisitor spicata is a type of sea snail. It is a small creature that lives in the ocean. Sea snails are part of a group called gastropods, which are a kind of mollusk. This particular snail belongs to the Pseudomelatomidae family.
Description
The shell of the Inquisitor spicata can grow up to 16 millimeters (about 0.6 inches) long. It is about 5.5 millimeters (about 0.2 inches) wide.
The shell is strong and shaped a bit like a spearhead. It has 10 whorls, which are the spiral turns you see on a snail shell. The shell is a plain, dull white color.
Shell Patterns
The shell has special patterns, or "sculpture." It has tiny, close-together lines that go from the center outwards. Along the top edge of each whorl, these lines rise up and curl into arched scales. These scales make the snail easy to recognize.
Below these scales, there is a thick, wavy cord. The shell also has a slightly hollowed-out area called a fasciole. This area has more radial lines and two or three spiral threads.
On the main part of the shell, below the fasciole, there are about sixteen flat spiral ridges. These ridges are about twice as wide as the spaces between them. Sometimes, one or two tiny threads can be found in these spaces. On the whorl just before the last one, there are four such spirals.
The shell also has wavy ribs, about thirteen on each whorl. These ribs are broken by the fasciole but continue down to the base of the shell and up the spire (the pointed top part).
Shell Opening
The opening of the shell, called the aperture, is narrow. The siphonal canal, which is a tube for water flow, is short and wide. The snail's sinus, a notch in the shell, is shaped like a deep "U."
Behind the opening, there is a swollen area. The outer lip of the shell turns inwards, creating a short, free edge. There is also a thick, smooth layer called a callus on the columella, which is the central pillar of the shell. The front edge of this callus is not attached to the whorl before it.
Where it Lives
This sea snail lives only in Australia. It can be found off the coasts of the Northern Territory, Queensland, and Western Australia.
