Gibbula capensis is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Trochidae, the top snails.[1]

Gibbula capensis
Drawing with two views of a shell of Gibbula capensis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Vetigastropoda
Order: Trochida
Superfamily: Trochoidea
Family: Trochidae
Genus: Gibbula
Species:
G. capensis
Binomial name
Gibbula capensis
(Gmelin, 1791)
Synonyms[1]
  • Clanculus capensis (Gmelin, 1791)
  • Trochus capensis Gmelin, 1791

Description

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The size of the shell varies between 10 mm and 14 mm. The narrowly umbilicated shell has a conoid-depressed shape with 5 whorls. The first whorl is roseate, eroded, the following convex above, depressed beneath, whitish or rosy, flammulated with brownish-violet radiating maculations, obliquely striate and spirally lirate. The lirae are flat, narrow and not granose. The body whorl is dilated, subangulate above, depresso-carinated at the periphery, convex beneath and ornamented with 9 concentric reddish lirae. The aperture is oblique and subquadrate. The lip is simple. The columella is arcuate, denticulate at base, slightly calloused above, almost covering the umbilicus.[2]

Distribution

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This marine species occurs off the Western Cape, and Saldanha Bay to Cape Agulhas, Rep. South Africa

References

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  • Kilburn, R.N. & Rippey, E. (1982) Sea Shells of Southern Africa. Macmillan South Africa, Johannesburg, xi + 249 pp. page(s): 40