Mitrella semiconvexa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mitrella semiconvexa |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Two views of a shell of Mitrella semiconvexa (museum specimens at Naturalis Biodiversity Center) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| (unranked): |
clade Caenogastropoda
clade Hypsogastropoda clade Neogastropoda |
| Superfamily: |
Buccinoidea
|
| Family: |
Columbellidae
|
| Genus: |
Mitrella
|
| Species: |
M. semiconvexa
|
| Binomial name | |
| Mitrella semiconvexa (Lamarck, 1822)
|
|
| Synonyms | |
|
|
Mitrella semiconvexa is a type of small sea snail. It belongs to the family called Columbellidae, which are often known as dove snails. These snails live in the ocean.
About the Shell
The shell of the Mitrella semiconvexa can grow up to 20 mm long. That's about the size of a small button!
Shell Shape and Color
This snail's shell is shaped like an egg, but it's also a bit like a cone. It has a very pointy top. The shell is usually a pale red color. It often has cool patterns, like wavy lines that go up and down the shell. Sometimes, you might see long spots on the shell's spirals.
Shell Features
The shell has about eight or nine spirals, which are called whorls. The ones at the bottom are rounded. The very bottom of the shell has super fine lines that are very close together. The opening of the shell, called the aperture, is long and egg-shaped. It is usually a whitish color inside. The outer edge of the opening, called the lip, is rounded and has small ridges on the inside. The central part of the shell's opening, known as the columella, is curved and smooth.
Where They Live
Mitrella semiconvexa snails are special because they are endemic to Australia. This means they are only found there and nowhere else in the world! You can find them living in the ocean waters off the coasts of several Australian states, including New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia.
