Merica elegans, common name the elegant nutmeg, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cancellariidae, the nutmeg snails.[1]

Merica elegans
A collection of shells of Merica elegans (museum specimens at Naturalis Biodiversity Center)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Neogastropoda
Family: Cancellariidae
Genus: Merica
Species:
M. elegans
Binomial name
Merica elegans
(G.B. Sowerby I, 1822)
Synonyms[1]
  • Cancellaria elegans G.B. Sowerby I, 1822
  • Cancellaria reeveana Crosse, 1861
  • Cancellaria reeveana var. subsinensis Löbbecke, 1881

Description

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The size of the shell varies between 22 mm and 43 mm.

Distribution

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This marine species occurs off the Philippines, Indonesia and Western Thailand; also off Australia (Queensland)

References

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  • Sowerby, G.B. (1st) & Sowerby, J. (ill.) 1822. The genera of Recent and Fossil shells. London : Sowerby pts 2–13.
  • Crosse, H. 1861. Etude sur le genre Cancellaire, suivie du catalogue des espèces vivantes et fossiles actuellement connues. Journal de Conchyliologie 9: 220–256
  • Löbbecke, T. 1881. Das genus Cancellaria. Systematisches Conchylien-Cabinet von Martini und Chemnitz (309): 1–16, pls 1–5
  • Garrard, T.A. 1975. A revision of Australian Cancellariidae (Gastropoda: Mollusca). Records of the Australian Museum 30: 1–62
  • Tantanasiriwong, R. 1978. An illustrated checklist of marine shelled gastropods from Phuket Island, adjacent mainland and offshore islands, Western Peninsula, Thailand. Phuket Marine Biological Center, Research Bulletin 21: 1–22, 259 figs
  • Springsteen, F.J. & Leobrera, F.M. 1986. Shells of the Philippines. Manila : Carfel Seashell Museum 377 pp., 100 pls.
  • Verhecken, A. 1986. The recent Cancellariidae of Indonesia (Neogastropoda, Cancellariacea). Gloria Maris 25(2): 29–66
  • Wilson, B. 1994. Australian Marine Shells. Prosobranch Gastropods. Kallaroo, WA : Odyssey Publishing Vol. 2 370 pp.
  • Verhecken A. 1997. Mollusca Gastropoda: Arafura Sea Cancellariidae collected during the Karubar cruise. Mémoires du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle 172: 295-323-page(s): 307
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  • "Merica elegans". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 16 January 2019.