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Mitrella semiconvexa facts for kids

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Mitrella semiconvexa
Mitrella semiconvexa 001.jpg
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
  • Buccinum semiconvexum Lamarck, 1822 (original combination)
  • Columbella infumata Crosse, 1863
  • Columbella nux Reeve, 1859
  • Columbella strigata Reeve, 1859

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.

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