Notogibbula bicarinata facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Notogibbula bicarinata |
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| Apertural view of a shell of Notogibbula bicarinata | |
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Notogibbula bicarinata, also known as "Cox's top shell," is a small and pretty sea snail. It's a type of gastropod mollusc that lives in the ocean. These snails belong to the family Trochidae, which are often called "top shells" because of their cone-like shape.
What Does Cox's Top Shell Look Like?
The shell of Cox's top shell is shaped like a cone, but it's also a bit round. It's quite strong and smooth, but not shiny. The shell is usually about 1 centimeter (less than half an inch) wide, and its height is almost the same as its width.
The shell can be pink or a light brown color. It has cool patterns of dark purple and brown marks, often in zig-zag lines. You might also see some broad, pure white flame-like patterns coming down from the sutures (the lines where the shell's spirals meet). These white patterns are broken up by reddish-brown spots on the shell's ridges.
Shell Features
The shell has five whorls, which are the spiral turns of the shell. These whorls have a strong "shoulder" and angled edges at the bottom. They also have two clear, rounded ridges, called keels. One keel is close to the suture. The space between the suture and the top keel is slightly curved inward, and the space between the two keels is also a little curved inward.
The whorls have very fine spiral lines and tiny, close-together diagonal lines that cross each other. This gives the shell a detailed, textured look. The bottom of the shell is rounded and has a net-like pattern of gray, with tiny red spots. It also has fine circular ridges, similar to the whorls, which get bigger as they get closer to the center.
The opening of the shell, called the aperture, is white and round. It takes up about half the length of the shell. The inner parts of the shell, like the parietal callus and the curved columella, look smooth. The umbilicus is a narrow, white hole that goes deep into the center of the shell.
Where Does Cox's Top Shell Live?
You can find Cox's top shells living in shallow, sandy bays. They like to be among seaweed and seagrass. These snails live along the coasts of southern Western Australia, all the way to New South Wales, and also around Tasmania.
