Spectamen philippense facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Spectamen philippense |
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| Drawing with two views of a shell of Spectamen philippense | |
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Spectamen philippense is a type of small sea snail. It's a marine gastropod (which means "stomach-foot") mollusk that belongs to the family Solariellidae. These snails live in the ocean.
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
The shell of Spectamen philippense is usually about 8 millimeters (which is less than half an inch) in size.
Shell Shape and Features
The shell has a shape like a cone, but with a wide, flat bottom. It has a large hole in the center of its base, which is called the umbilicus. The shell also has a shiny, bright color.
Shell Surface Details
If you look closely at the shell, you'll see small, flat bumps just below the suture (the line where the shell's spirals join). These bumps are less noticeable on the main part of the shell. The entire surface also has very fine, slanted lines.
You can also find many thin, wavy scratches on the shell. These scratches are shallower and further apart in the middle of the base, but they become sharper and closer together near the umbilicus. Inside the umbilicus, there are four or five spiral lines that look a bit like beads. The first and strongest of these lines forms a ridge around the umbilicus.
Shell Color and Pattern
The shell has a beautiful, slightly rainbow-like shine all over. It's mostly a creamy white color with zigzag lines of crimson (a deep red). On the upper parts of the shell, these red lines are thin and even. On the second-to-last spiral, they are spaced out, but on the very last spiral, they become uneven, broken, and crowded. The base of the shell has about eleven to twelve long, red spots that spread out like rays. The first three spirals of the shell are a light orange-yellow color.
Shell Spirals and Opening
The shell has a fairly tall spire (the pointed top part). The very tip, called the apex, is small and a bit blunt. The shell has about 6 and a half whorls (the spiral turns). Each whorl has a flat shelf just below the suture, which then angles down and curves to meet the next suture. The main body whorl has a blunt angle where it meets the rounded base. The suture itself is strong and clearly marked by the angle where the whorls meet.
The opening of the shell, called the aperture, is round and slightly slanted. The outer edge of the opening is thin and sharp. The inner edge is also thin and sharp, and it curves back a little near the columella (the central pillar of the shell), forming a small, open curve. The inside of the shell is very shiny and iridescent. The umbilicus is wide and goes all the way through the shell, curving up to the apex inside.
Where Does It Live?
This sea snail lives in the ocean waters around Australia. You can find it off the coasts of Queensland, New South Wales, and Tasmania.
