Veprecula scala facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Veprecula scala |
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| Original image of a shell of Veprecula scala | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
| Order: | Neogastropoda |
| Superfamily: | Conoidea |
| Family: | Raphitomidae |
| Genus: | Veprecula |
| Species: |
V. scala
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| Binomial name | |
| Veprecula scala Hedley, 1922
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Veprecula scala is a tiny species of sea snail that lives in the ocean. It is a type of gastropod, which means it's a mollusk that usually has a single shell, like a snail. This particular snail belongs to a family called Raphitomidae.
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
This sea snail has a small, slender shell. It is shaped a bit like a spindle. The shell is about 5.5 millimeters (mm) long and 2 mm wide. That's less than a quarter of an inch!
Shell Color and Markings
The shell of Veprecula scala is a color called burnt sienna, which is a reddish-brown. It also has a creamy white band around the top part of its main body whorl. This makes it look quite pretty.
Shell Structure
The very first part of the snail's shell, called the protoconch, is tall and narrow. It has four small twists, or whorls, that are delicately ribbed. After this first part, the shell grows five more adult whorls.
Shell Texture (Sculpture)
The shell has special patterns on its surface, which scientists call sculpture. It has spiral lines that cross over raised ribs. These lines create small scales on the top of the ribs.
On the older parts of the shell, there are four spiral lines. On newer parts, there are three or two. These lines continue all the way to the tip of the snail's snout, with about sixteen lines in total. The ribs on the shell are close together at the top. They become more spread out as they go down the shell. On the main body whorl, there are about six narrow, upright, and slanted ribs. These ribs disappear near the bottom of the shell.
The snail's siphonal canal is a tube-like extension at the front of the shell. It is a bit twisted. The anal sulcus is a small, deep, and narrow groove near the top of the shell opening.
Where Does It Live?
This marine species lives only in Australia. You can find it off the coast of Queensland and in the Gulf of Carpentaria. This means it is endemic to these areas and not found naturally anywhere else in the world.
