Liotella petalifera facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Liotella petalifera |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Original drawing with three views of a shell of Liotella petalifera | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Liotella petalifera is a very tiny species of sea snail. It's a type of marine gastropod mollusk, which means it's an animal with a soft body, usually protected by a shell. This little snail belongs to the family called Skeneidae.
About This Tiny Snail
This snail is super small! Its shell is only about 0.6 millimeters tall and 1.2 millimeters wide. That's smaller than a grain of rice! The shell is white and looks a bit like a flat disc.
Shell Features
The shell has a slightly raised top, called a spire. The bottom of the shell has a wide, deep hole in the middle, which is called an umbilicus.
The shell has four main sections, called whorls, that spiral around. The first two whorls are part of the snail's earliest shell, known as the protoconch. This first part is smooth and clearly separated from the rest of the shell.
The main part of the shell has a special pattern. It has about twenty-four raised, curled ridges that point forward. These ridges are smooth and shiny. The spaces between the ridges also have tiny spiral lines. The opening of the shell, where the snail comes out, is perfectly round.
Where It Lives
This marine species is endemic to Australia. This means it is found naturally only in Australia and nowhere else in the world.
You can find Liotella petalifera in the waters off Queensland, South Australia, and Tasmania. It lives quite deep in the ocean, usually between 73 meters (about 240 feet) and 183 meters (about 600 feet) below the surface.
