Fasciolaria tulipa

Fasciolaria tulipa, common name the true tulip, is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Fasciolariidae.

Fasciolaria tulipa
A live Fasciolaria tulipa out of water
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Mollusca
Class:
Gastropoda
(unranked):
clade Caenogastropoda
clade Hypsogastropoda
clade Neogastropoda
Superfamily:
Buccinoidea
Family:
Fasciolariidae
Subfamily:
Fasciolariinae
Genus:
Fasciolaria
Species:
F. tulipa
Binomial name
Fasciolaria tulipa
Synonyms[1]
  • Colus achatinus Röding, 1798
  • Colus marmoratus Röding, 1798
  • Fasciolaria canaliculata Valenciennes, 1832
  • Fasciolaria concolor Kobelt, 1875
  • Fasciolaria rugosa Kobelt, 1875
  • Fasciolaria scheepmakeri Kobelt, 1875
  • Fasciolaria schepmackeri Sowerby II, 1882
  • Fasciolaria obsoleta Dall, 1890
  • Murex tulipa Linnaeus, 1758
  • Neptunea laevigata Link, 1807

Distribution

This species occurs from the North Carolina coast all the way south and west to the Gulf coast of Texas, also in the West Indies and Brazil.[1][2]

Shell description

The tulip shell has a fusiform outline, with an overall smooth surface, and presents fine growth lines, and small denticles on the inner edge of its delicate outer lip.[2] It is whitish to tan in color, with rows of darker brownish blotches of various sizes. Over the blotches are symmetrical rows of thin lines which spiral along the whorls of the shell, which are normally about 9[2] in number.

The shell of an adult tulip snail can be from 2.5” to 9.5” inches (6.4 – 24.1 cm) in length.

  • Abapertural (bottom) and apertural view of a shell.
  • Apical view of a shell.

Habitat

Fasciolaria tulipa usually lives in sand flats and seagrass beds,[2] especially where the turtle grass (scientific name Thalassia testudinum) is present,[3] at depths of nearly 30 feet.[2][3]

Feeding habits

This snail eats bivalves and various other gastropods including the banded tulip Fasciolaria lilium, and the queen conch Eustrombus gigas.[4]

References
  1. Rosenberg, G. (2009). "Malacolog 4.1.1: A Database of Western Atlantic Marine Mollusca". Retrieved 2009-10-26.
  2. Leal, J. H. (2002). "Gastropods". In Carpenter, K. E. (ed.). The living marine resources of the Western Central Atlantic. Volume 1: Introduction, molluscs, crustaceans, hagfishes, sharks, batoid fishes, and chimaeras (PDF). FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes. FAO. pp. 99–147.
  3. "Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce". Smithsonian Institution. Archived from the original on 2009-07-19. Retrieved 2009-10-26.
  4. Iversen E.S.; Jory D.E.; Bannerot S.P. (1986). "Predation on queen conchs, Strombus gigas, in the Bahamas". Bulletin of Marine Science, 39(1): 61-75.
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