Phasianotrochus bellulus

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

Phasianotrochus bellulus
Apertural view of a shell of Phasianotrochus bellulus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Vetigastropoda
Order: Trochida
Superfamily: Trochoidea
Family: Trochidae
Genus: Phasianotrochus
Species:
P. bellulus
Binomial name
Phasianotrochus bellulus
(Dunker, 1845)
Synonyms
  • Cantharidus bellulus Pilsbry, H.A. 1889
  • Elenchus bellulus Angas, G.F. 1865
  • Trochus bellulus Philippi, R.A. 1845

Description

The height of the shell varies between 12 mm and 18 mm. The solid, imperforate, acute shell has an elongate-conic shape. It is polished, grayish or pinkish, with a few spiral orange lines, two on the penultimate whorl. The spaces between these lines marked with short white curved lines in pairs, often forming a figure 8 shaped pattern. The about 8 whorls are nearly flat. The body whorl is rounded at the periphery. The spire is attenuated toward the acute purplish apex. The small aperture is contracted, sulcate and iridescent within. The vertical columella is strongly toothed below.

The color pattern is quite constant and characteristic. The interior of the aperture is more coarsely sulcate than in other species, showing only about 6 folds. The outer and basal lips have a slight subrmarginal porcellaneous subdentate thickening, which stops a little space short of the upper termination of the outer lip,[3]

Distribution

This marine species is endemic to Australia and occurs in the shallow subtidal zones off Victoria, Southwest Australia and Tasmania.

References
  1. Bouchet, P. (2012). Phasianotrochus bellulus (Dunker, 1845). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=573224 on 2012-11-23
  2. Hickman C.S. (2005) Seagrass fauna of the temperate southern coast of Australia I: The cantharidine trochid gastropods. In: F.E. Wells, D.I. Walker & G.A. Kendrick (eds), The marine flora and fauna of Esperance, Western Australia: 199-220. Western Australian Museum, Perth.
  3. Tryon (1889), Manual of Conchology XI, Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia
  • Philippi, R.A. 1845. Abbildungen und Beschriebungen neuer oder wenig gekannter Conchylien. Cassel : Theodor Fischer Vol. 2 64 pp
  • Angas, G.F. 1865. On the marine molluscan fauna of the Province of South Australia, with a list of all the species known up to the present time, together with remarks on their habitats and distribution, etc. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1865: 155-"180"
  • Allan, J.K. 1950. Australian Shells: with related animals living in the sea, in freshwater and on the land. Melbourne : Georgian House xix, 470 pp., 45 pls, 112 text figs.
  • Cotton, B.C. 1959. South Australian Mollusca. Archaeogastropoda. Handbook of the Flora and Fauna of South Australia. Adelaide : South Australian Government Printer 449 pp
  • Wilson, B. 1993. Australian Marine Shells. Prosobranch Gastropods. Kallaroo, Western Australia : Odyssey Publishing Vol. 1
  • To Biodiversity Heritage Library (2 publications)
  • To World Register of Marine Species
  • "Phasianotrochus bellulus". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
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