Phasianotrochus eximius facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Phasianotrochus eximius |
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| Two views of a shell of Phasianotrochus eximius | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Vetigastropoda |
| Order: | Trochida |
| Superfamily: | Trochoidea |
| Family: | Trochidae |
| Genus: | Phasianotrochus |
| Species: |
P. eximius
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| Binomial name | |
| Phasianotrochus eximius (Perry, 1811)
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| Synonyms | |
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See list of synonyms |
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The Phasianotrochus eximius, also known as the kelp shell or true kelp, is a type of sea snail. It's a marine (ocean-dwelling) gastropod mollusk that belongs to the family Trochidae, which are often called top snails.
This snail has been known by many different names over time. However, the name Phasianotrochus eximius was officially accepted by scientists T. Iredale and D.F. McMichael in 1962.
Contents
About the Kelp Shell
What Does the Shell Look Like?
The shell of the kelp snail can be anywhere from 20 mm to 40 mm tall. That's about the size of a small to medium-sized button!
Its shell is strong and shaped like a long cone. It looks very smooth and shiny. The shell can be brown, light brown (fawn-color), or even pink. It often has thin spiral lines, usually four of them, on the second-to-last swirl of the shell. If you look very closely, the surface has tiny, dense spiral grooves.
The top part of the shell, called the spire, is thin and has straight sides. Its very tip, the apex, is sharp. The shell usually has about 7 swirls, or whorls, that are slightly rounded. The largest swirl at the bottom, called the body whorl, is rounded around its edge.
The opening of the shell, called the aperture, is oval-shaped and a bit more than one-third of the shell's total length. Inside, it shines with beautiful rainbow colors. The edge of the opening, called the peristome, is a bit thicker and has a greenish color. The inner pillar of the shell, the columella, has a small tooth-like bump below its middle.
Where Kelp Shells Live
Habitat and Location
This marine snail lives only in Australia. It is found in the waters just below the low tide mark (subtidal zone) and in the intertidal zone, which is the area between high and low tide. You can often spot them on seaweed.
Kelp shells live off the coasts of several Australian states, including New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, and Western Australia.
 | Emma Amos |
 | Edward Mitchell Bannister |
 | Larry D. Alexander |
 | Ernie Barnes |
