Nepotilla microscopica facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nepotilla microscopica |
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| Original image of a shell of Nepotilla microscopica | |
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Nepotilla microscopica is a tiny type of sea snail. It's a marine mollusk that belongs to a group called gastropods. This small snail is part of the family Raphitomidae.
Contents
What Does Nepotilla microscopica Look Like?
This snail is super tiny! Its shell is only about 1.3 millimeters long. To give you an idea, that's barely bigger than the tip of a pencil. The shell is also very narrow, with a diameter of about 0.7 millimeters.
Shell Features
The shell of Nepotilla microscopica is yellowish in color. It has about three and a half whorls, which are the spiral turns of the shell. The very first part of the shell, called the protoconch, is large and rounded. It also has tiny spiral lines.
The main part of the shell has two adult whorls. These whorls have a strong angle around the middle. From this angle up to the top seam, the shell is flat or slightly curved inwards.
Shell Patterns and Opening
The shell has a special pattern called sculpture. This pattern includes sharp, narrow ribs that run up and down the shell. There are about twelve of these ribs on the largest part of the shell. They stretch from one seam to the next and even continue into the shell's opening. These ribs are spaced far apart. In between the ribs, you might see some very faint spiral lines.
The opening of the shell, called the aperture, is quite wide. The siphonal canal, which is a short tube at the bottom of the shell, is very short. The central pillar inside the shell, known as the columella, has a hollowed-out shape. The outer edge of the shell's opening, called the lip, is thick and strong. Near the top seam, there's a deep, open notch or "sinus" that has a thick border.
Where Does Nepotilla microscopica Live?
This marine snail is found only in Australia. It lives off the coast of Tasmania, which is an island state south of mainland Australia. This means you won't find Nepotilla microscopica anywhere else in the world!
