Minolops cinerea facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Minolops cinerea |
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| Original drawing of a shell of Minolops cinerea | |
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Minolia cinerea Preston, 1909 |
Minolops cinerea is a type of small sea snail. It's a marine (ocean-dwelling) gastropod mollusk that belongs to the family called Solariellidae.
Contents
About the Minolops cinerea
This snail has a shell that's about 6.75 millimeters tall and 6.5 millimeters wide. That's pretty small! Its shell is shiny and shaped like a round top. It's mostly grey, with thin brownish-grey stripes across the top.
Shell Features
The shell has about six and a half spirals, which are called whorls. These whorls are a bit flat on top. The patterns and colors on its shell are quite detailed and unique.
Each spiral part has raised lines, like tiny beads. On the main body part of the shell, there can be up to four of these beaded lines. Between some of these lines, there are even more small, beaded ridges that spiral around. The lines where the whorls join, called sutures, are pressed in.
The bottom of the shell has two spiral grooves and many very fine spiral lines. It has a band of fine, close greyish marks. Inside this band, there's another area that's mostly the same grey color.
The Snail's Belly Button
The snail has a wide, deep, whitish opening on the underside of its shell, which is called the umbilicus (like a belly button!). Inside this opening, there are several small, unclear, spiral ridges. The edge of this opening has a rough, bumpy ridge around it.
Inside the Shell
The central pillar inside the shell, called the columella, is slightly curved at the top. It then slopes down and ends quite suddenly. The outer edge of the shell's opening, known as the peristome, is sharp. The main opening of the shell, called the aperture, is shaped like a square.
Where Does It Live?
This sea snail lives in the ocean and is only found in Australia. You can find it off the coast of Queensland.
