Veprecula vacillata facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Veprecula vacillata |
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| Original imaga of a shell of Veprecula vacillata | |
| Scientific classification |
Veprecula vacillata is a type of sea snail. It is a marine gastropod mollusk. This means it is a creature with a soft body, often protected by a shell, that lives in the sea. It belongs to the family Raphitomidae.
There is also a special kind of Veprecula vacillata called Veprecula vacillata paucicostata. It was also described by Hedley in 1922.
Contents
About the Veprecula vacillata Shell
The shell of the Veprecula vacillata snail is quite small. It usually grows to about 5.5 millimeters long. Its width is around 2 millimeters.
Shell Shape and Color
The shell has a pointed shape. It is also a bit hollowed out near its bottom and below the lines that separate its parts. The color of the shell is often a light yellowish-brown, called buff. Sometimes, it can have a brownish color, like chocolate.
How the Shell Grows
The very first part of the shell is called the protoconch. It is very thin and pointed, like a needle. This first part has three turns, or whorls. After these first turns, the shell grows five more adult whorls.
Shell Patterns and Texture
The shell has special patterns on its surface, which is called its sculpture. These patterns look like deep square nets. They are made by lines that go around the shell (spiral cords) and lines that go up and down (radial cords). Where these lines cross, there are small bumps or prickles.
The way these lines develop can be different on each snail. On the main part of the shell, called the body whorl, there can be between nine and twelve radial lines. There can also be fifteen to eighteen spiral lines. On the upper part of the shell, there are usually three to five spiral lines. One of these lines, near the edge, is usually the strongest.
Shell Opening and Features
The opening of the shell is called the aperture. Near the top of the opening, there is a deep notch called the anal sulcus. The outer edge of the opening, called the lip, has small teeth. These teeth are formed by the spiral lines that stick out. The part of the shell that forms a tube, called the siphonal canal, is quite long and straight.
Where Veprecula vacillata Lives
This sea snail lives only in Australia. This means it is endemic to Australia and is not found naturally anywhere else in the world. You can find it off the coast of Queensland. It also lives in the Gulf of Carpentaria.
