Mancinella armigera is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod, in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.[1][2] The species name means “bearing arms”.[3]

Mancinella armigera
Museum specimen
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Neogastropoda
Superfamily: Muricoidea
Family: Muricidae
Subfamily: Rapaninae
Genus: Mancinella
Species:
M. armigera
Binomial name
Mancinella armigera
Link, 1807
Synonyms[1]
  • Purpura affinis Reeve, 1846
  • Purpura armigera (Link, 1807)
  • Purpura armigera Lamarck, 1822
  • Reishia armigera (Link, 1807)
  • Stramonita armigera (Link, 1807)
  • Thais armigera (Link, 1807)
  • Turbinella armigera (Lamarck, 1822)

Description

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Juvenile

These large drupes have thick , spindle shaped shells covered by blunt tubercles, the aperture is yellowish brown.[3] But they are harmless to humans.[4] The shell is biconic, spire projecting and massive with two rows of projecting noodles on the last whorl, white in color with a yellow aperture.[5] The spire is projecting and acuminate, the suture is shallow.[5] There are eight axial ribs with two rows of prominent tubercles encircling the last whorl and a single spiral of tubercles on the other whorls, as well as a spiral sculpture of fine striae.[5] The aperture is ovate, the outer lips slightly thickened, with six denticles and a columella with a single absolute plait and a moderately developed siphonal fasciole.[5] The shell is often covered with a thick calcareous deposit.[5] The size of an adult shell varies between 50mm and 105.5mm. The shells are typically covered with a pink coralline algae.

Biology

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This species is a non broadcast spawner. Life cycle does not include trochophore stage.[4]

Distribution

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This species is distributed in the Indian Ocean along Chagos, the Aldabra Atoll and Tanzania; in the Pacific Ocean along Japan.

Habitat

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These gastropods occur at the outer edge of fringing reefs and subtitle lava shoulders exposed to heavy wave action.[5] They are common along some exposed rocky coasts at depths of 10-40ft[3] and they often occur in pairs.

Human uses

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Collected for food by coastal populations.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b MolluscaBase (2018). Mancinella armigera Link, 1807. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=396999 on 2019-01-06
  2. ^ Claremont M., Vermeij G.J., Williams S.T. & Reid D.G. (2013) Global phylogeny and new classification of the Rapaninae (Gastropoda: Muricidae), dominant molluscan predators on tropical rocky seashores. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 66: 91–102. [Published online 28 September 2012; Code-compliant paper version published January 2013]
  3. ^ a b c Hoover, John P. (2010). Hawai'i's sea creatures : a guide to Hawai'i's marine invertebrates. Mutual Pub. ISBN 978-1-56647-220-3. OCLC 1293454919.
  4. ^ a b c "Thais armigera, Belligerent rock shell". www.sealifebase.ca. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Kay, E. Alison (1979). Hawaiian marine shells. Honolulu, Hawaii: Bishop Museum Press. ISBN 0-910240-26-4. OCLC 5954550.
  • Spry, J.F. (1961). The sea shells of Dar es Salaam: Gastropods. Tanganyika Notes and Records 56
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