Trochus camelophorus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Trochus camelophorus |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Drawing with an apertural view of a shell of Trochus camelophorus | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Trochus (Camelotrochus) camelophorus Webster, 1906 |
Trochus camelophorus is a type of small sea snail. It's a marine animal, meaning it lives in the ocean. This snail belongs to a group called gastropods, which are a kind of mollusc. It is part of the family Trochidae, often known as "top snails" because of their shell shape.
Contents
What Does Trochus camelophorus Look Like?
The shell of this snail can grow up to 11 millimeters (about 0.4 inches) tall. It can also be 12 millimeters (about 0.5 inches) wide. The shell is strong and has a conical, or cone-like, shape. It is usually pink in color.
Shell Patterns and Markings
The shell has special patterns called sculpture. These patterns include rounded ridges of different thicknesses. They look a bit like ropes. On the second-to-last spiral part of the shell, there are 5 to 6 of these ridges.
Thin lines called riblets cross these ridges. They make the ridges look slightly bumpy. The bottom part of the shell has 5 to 6 flat spiral ribs. These ribs are separated by narrow grooves. The whole shell also has many fine, thin lines that spread out like rays.
Shell Colors and Features
The shell is usually rose-colored. It has darker marks above the wider part of the body whorl (the main part of the shell). The bottom of the shell is yellowish-white. It has light brown stripes and spots that spread out.
The top part of the shell, called the spire, is cone-shaped. Its very tip, the apex, is rounded. The first two spirals, or whorls, of the shell are called the protoconch. They show faint spiral patterns.
The next five whorls, called the teleoconch, are slightly angled at the top. They are flat, and the last one has a sharp edge. The line where the whorls meet, called the suture, is a deep groove.
Opening and Inside the Shell
The opening of the shell, called the aperture, is somewhat square-shaped. Inside, it looks a bit like mother-of-pearl. The outer and bottom edges of the opening are slightly curved. They form a sharp corner where they meet.
The central pillar inside the shell, called the columella, is slightly slanted. It has a clear fold at the top. This pillar is rounded and smooth.
There is a false umbilicus (a small hole or pit) that is not very deep. It has a strong spiral fold. Sometimes this fold is grooved, making it look like two spiral ribs very close together.
Where Does Trochus camelophorus Live?
This marine snail lives only in New Zealand. It is found around the northern end of the North Island. This means it is endemic to that area, so you won't find it naturally anywhere else in the world.
See also
In Spanish: Trochus camelophorus para niños
