Pelicaria vermis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pelicaria vermis
Dorsal view of a shell of Pelicaria vermis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
(unranked):	clade Caenogastropoda clade Hypsogastropoda clade Littorinimorpha
Superfamily:	Stromboidea
Family:	Struthiolariidae
Genus:	Pelicaria
Species:	P. vermis
Binomial name
Pelicaria vermis (Martyn, 1784)
Synonyms
Buccinum vermis Martyn, 1784 (basionym) Murex australis Gmelin, 1791 † Pelicaria mangaoparia Vella, 1953 † Pelicaria rotunda Vella, 1953 † Struthiolaria acuminata Marwick, 1924 † Struthiolaria convexa Marwick, 1924 Struthiolaria crenulata Lamarck, 1822 † Struthiolaria fossa Marwick, 1924 Struthiolaria inermis G.B. Sowerby I, 1821 † Struthiolaria media Marwick, 1924 Struthiolaria tricarinata Lesson, 1841 Struthiolaria vermis (Martyn, 1784) Struthiolaria vermis bradleyi Neef, 1970 Struthiolaria vermis flemingi Neef, 1970 Struthiolaria vermis grahami Neef, 1970 Struthiolaria vermis powelli Neef, 1970 Struthiolaria vermis vellai Neef, 1970 Struthiolaria vermis wellmani Neef, 1970

Pelicaria vermis, also known as the small ostrich foot shell, is a type of sea snail. In the Māori language, it is called takai. This amazing creature is a marine (ocean-dwelling) gastropod mollusc. It belongs to the family called Struthiolariidae. Interestingly, Pelicaria vermis is the only living species in its group, or genus, called Pelicaria.

Where This Snail Lives

This special snail is found only in one place: the North Island of New Zealand. This means it is endemic to that area. You can find Pelicaria vermis living just below the sand on tidal flats. They also live off sandy beaches. Sometimes, they can be found in deeper waters, up to 90 meters (about 295 feet) deep!

Shell of Pelicaria vermis seen from the opening side.

What This Snail Looks Like

The shell of the Pelicaria vermis can grow quite large for a snail. It can be up to 54 millimeters (about 2.1 inches) tall. The widest part of the shell can be up to 35 millimeters (about 1.4 inches) across. Most of the time, their shells are a pretty yellow-brown color. But sometimes, you might find one that is plain yellow or even purple!