Aesopus pallidulus is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Columbellidae, the dove snails.[1]
| Aesopus pallidulus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Shell of Aesopus pallidulus (holotype in the Australian Museum) | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
| Order: | Neogastropoda |
| Family: | Columbellidae |
| Genus: | Aesopus |
| Species: | A. pallidulus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Aesopus pallidulus (Hedley, 1906)
| |
| Synonyms[1] | |
|
Mitromorpha pallidula Hedley, 1906 (superseded combination) | |
Description
editThe length of the shell attains 4.6 mm, its diameter 1.5 mm.
(Original description) The shell is small and narrow with a fusiform shape, tapering to blunt ends. It consists of five oblique whorls, including a protoconch that comprises one and a half whorls. The shell is dull white with two narrow, pale brown spiral bands on the body whorl: one at the periphery and the other between the periphery and the siphonal canal. The lower band is more distinct, spreading over five ridges and furrows.
Sculpture: The dome-shaped protoconch features fine, closely spaced radial riblets, ending with a slight varix. The teleoconch begins abruptly with seven evenly spaced spiral ridges and equal furrows, which gradually increase in size and number. On the body whorl, the ridges total twenty-six, becoming smaller and more crowded towards the anterior. The ridges are square in cross-section, polished, and slightly narrower than the flat furrows, which are radially striated.
The aperture is narrow with an excavate columella. The anal sinus is indistinguishable, and the siphonal canal forms a notch.[2]
Distribution
editThis marine species is endemic to Australia and occurs off New South Wales, Tasmania and Victoria.
References
edit- ^ a b WoRMS. "Aesopus pallidulus (Hedley, 1906)". World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
- ^ Hedley, C. (1906). Studies on Australian Mollusca. Part IX. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales. 30: 520–546
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- Gatliff, J.H. & Gabriel, C.J. 1922. Additions to and alterations in the catalogue of Victorian marine Mollusca. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria n.s. 34(2): 128–161
- Grove, S.J., Kershaw, R.C., Smith, B.J. & Turner, E. 2006. A Systematic List of the Marine Molluscs of Tasmania. Launceston, Tasmania : Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery 120 pp.
- Macpherson, J.H. & Gabriel, C.J. 1962. Marine molluscs of Victoria. Melbourne : Melbourne University Press & National Museum of Victoria 475 pp.