Lirularia lirulata

Lirularia lirulata, common name the pearly top shell, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Trochidae, the top snails.[1][2]

Lirularia lirulata
Drawing with two views of a shell of Lirularia lirulata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Vetigastropoda
Order: Trochida
Superfamily: Trochoidea
Family: Trochidae
Genus: Lirularia
Species:
L. lirulata
Binomial name
Lirularia lirulata
(Carpenter, 1864)
Synonyms
  • Gibbula funiculata Carpenter, 1864
  • Gibbula lacunata Carpenter, 1864
  • Gibbula optabilis Carpenter, 1864
  • Gibbula parcipicta Carpenter, 1864
  • Margarita acuticostata Carpenter, 1864
  • Margarita lirulata Carpenter, 1864 (original description)

Description

The height of the shell attains 6 mm. The solid, umbilicate shell has a globose-conical shape. It is lusterless or slightly shining, purplish, unicolored, or with large radiating white patches above, or around the periphery, or spiral darker lines, or spiral articulated lines. Surface either with (1st) a few (2-4) strong lirae above, their interspaces smooth, the base with about 8 concentric lirulae, or (2d) more numerous narrow irregular lirulae above, those of the base still smaller, or (3d) the spiral sculpture obsolete, surface smooth or nearly so above and beneath. The spire is more or less elevated. The apex is obtuse. The sutures are impressed, sometimes subcanaliculate. The body whorl is convex beneath. The aperture is oblique, oval-rhomboidal, very brilliantly iridescent within, but the acute peristome has a rather broad marginal band of opaque white. The columella is simple. The umbilicus is tubular, with incremental striae within.[3]

Distribution

This species occurs in the Pacific Ocean from Sitka, Alaska, to San Diego, California.

References
  1. Rosenberg, G. (2012). Lirularia lirulata (Carpenter, 1864). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=528718 on 2012-11-23
  2. Turgeon, D.D., et al. 1998. Common and scientific names of aquatic invertebrates of the United States and Canada. American Fisheries Society Special Publication 26
  3. Tryon (1889), Manual of Conchology XI, Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia (described as Margarita lirulata)
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