Nassarius subspinosus

Nassarius subspinosus, common name the prickly dog whelk, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Nassariidae, the Nassa mud snails or dog whelks.[1]

Nassarius subspinosus
Five views of a shell of Nassarius subspinosus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Mollusca
Class:
Gastropoda
(unranked):
clade Caenogastropoda
clade Hypsogastropoda
clade Neogastropoda
Superfamily:
Buccinoidea
Family:
Nassariidae
Genus:
Nassarius
Species:
N. subspinosus
Binomial name
Nassarius subspinosus
(Lamarck, 1822)
Synonyms[1]

Description

The length of the shell varies between 10 mm and 20 mm.

The shell is ovate and conical. The spire is composed of six slightly convex whorls, somewhat flattened at their upper part, ornamented with longitudinal, spinous folds. The body whorl supports two or three rows of spinous, distant tubercles. Besides, the whole shell is crossed by pretty fine, transverse striae, more apparent towards the base. The aperture is sub-rounded. The outer lip is margined externally, and striated internally. The color of this shell is grayish, with irregular transverse bands of a slate or violet color. The tubercles are sometimes white, and often brown lines cross them. [2]

Distribution

This marine species occurs off Central and East Indian Ocean, Tanzania, East India, Andaman Islands, the Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia, Indo-China, China, Oceania (Fiji, Solomon Islands), Papua New Guinea and Australia (Western Australia)

References
  1. Bouchet, P. (2015). Hebra subspinosa. In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=560131 on 2016-05-16
  2. Kiener (1840). General species and iconography of recent shells : comprising the Massena Museum, the collection of Lamarck, the collection of the Museum of Natural History, and the recent discoveries of travellers; Boston :W.D. Ticknor,1837 (described as Buccinum subspinosum)
  • Dunker, G. 1847. Diagnoses Buccinorum quorundam novorum. Zeitschrift für Malakozoologie 4: 59–64
  • Quoy, J.R.C. & Gaimard, J.P. 1833. Voyage de découvertes de l'Astrolabe, exécuté par ordre du Roi, pendant les années 1826–1829. Paris : J. Tastu Zoologie Vol. 2 pp. 321–686.
  • Gould, A.A. 1850. Descriptions of the shells brought home by the U.S. Exploring Expedition (cont.). Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History 3: 151–156
  • Spry, J.F. (1961). The sea shells of Dar es Salaam: Gastropods. Tanganyika Notes and Records 56
  • Cernohorsky, W.O. 1984. Systematics of the family Nassariidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda). Bulletin of the Auckland Institute and Museum. Auckland, New Zealand 14: 1–356
  • Wilson, B. 1994. Australian Marine Shells. Prosobranch Gastropods. Kallaroo, WA : Odyssey Publishing Vol. 2 370 pp.
  • Higo, S., Callomon, P. & Goto, Y. 1999. Catalogue and Bibliography of the Marine Shell-bearing Mollusca of Japan. Japan : Elle Scientific Publications 749 pp.
  • 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.
  • "Hebra subspinosa". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
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