Nassarius speciosus, common name the purple-lipped dogwhelk or the splendid nassa, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Nassariidae, the nassa mud snails or dog whelks.[1]
| Nassarius speciosus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Shell of Nassarius speciosus | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
| Order: | Neogastropoda |
| Family: | Nassariidae |
| Genus: | Nassarius |
| Species: | N. speciosus
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| Binomial name | |
| Nassarius speciosus (A. Adams, 1852)
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| Synonyms[1] | |
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Description
editThe length of the shell varies between 20 mm and 35 mm.[2]
The shell is small and robust, featuring strong, widely spaced axial ribs crossed by finer, closely spaced spiral cords. The whorls are shouldered, with the ribs creating nodules along the shoulder. On the latter part of the body whorl, the ribs become weaker. The aperture has a distinct siphonal notch, and the inner lip shows a well-developed callus that extends over both the columella and parietal region. The outer lip has a subterminal external thickening and low internal ridges.[2]
The shell is whitish to buff, with paler axial ribs. The aperture and callus are white, while the siphonal notch is a dark purplish-brown when fresh. The surface of a living shell is often covered by a khaki-brown, periostracum-like layer formed by encrusting organisms.[2]
Distribution
editThis marine species is endemic to South Africa and occurs off the West coast to Agulhas Bank (southern Namibia to western Transkei), in shallow water to 130 m, possibly deeper.[2]
References
edit- ^ a b Nassarius speciosus. Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 30 October 2012.
- ^ a b c d Herbert, D.G., Jones, G.J. & Atkinson, L.J. (2018). Phylum Mollusca. In: Atkinson, L.J. and Sink, K.J. (eds) Field Guide to the Offshore Marine Invertebrates of South Africa. Pretoria: Malachite Marketing and Media. p. 289. doi:10.15493/SAEON.PUB.10000001. ISBN 978-1-86868-098-6. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
This article incorporates text from this source, which is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license.
- Cernohorsky W. O. (1984). Systematics of the family Nassariidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda). Bulletin of the Auckland Institute and Museum 14: 1–356
- Marais J.P. & Kilburn R.N. (2010) Nassariidae. pp. 138–173, in: Marais A.P. & Seccombe A.D. (eds), Identification guide to the seashells of South Africa. Volume 1. Groenkloof: Centre for Molluscan Studies. 376 pp
External links
edit- Adams, A. (1852–1853). "Catalogue of the species of Nassa, a genus of gasteropodous Mollusca belonging to the family Buccinidae, in the collection of Hugh Cuming, Esq., with the description of some new species". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. 1851 (19): 100.
- Dunker, W. (1846). "Diagnoses Molluscorum novorum". Zeitschrift für Malakozoologie. 3: 111.
- Branch, G.M. (2002). Two Oceans. 5th impression. Cape Town & Johannesburg.: David Philip. ISBN 978-1-77007-633-4.
- Cernohorsky, W.O. (1984). "Systematics of the family Nassariidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda)". Bulletin of the Auckland Institute and Museum. 14 (i–iv).
- "Nassarius (Niotha) speciosus". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
