Xenophora crispa

Xenophora crispa, the Mediterranean Carrier Shell, is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Xenophoridae, the carrier shells.[2][3]

Fossils of Xenophora crispa from Pliocene of Italy

Xenophora crispa
Temporal range: Pliocene – Recent [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Mollusca
Class:
Gastropoda
(unranked):
clade Caenogastropoda
clade Hypsogastropoda
clade Littorinimorpha
Superfamily:
Xenophoroidea
Family:
Xenophoridae
Genus:
Xenophora
Subgenus:
Xenophora
Species:
X. crispa
Binomial name
Xenophora crispa
(König, 1825)
Synonyms[2]
  • Trochus crispus König, 1825
  • Xenophora (Xenophora) crispa (König, 1825) · accepted, alternate representation
  • Xenophora mediterranea Tiberi, 1863

Fossil record

Fossils of Xenophora crispa are found in marine strata of Pliocene of Italy and Spain (age range: from 3.6 to 2.588 million years ago.).[1]

Description

Shells of Xenophora crispa can reach a size of 30–63 millimetres (1.2–2.5 in).[4] They are trochoid, depressed-conical shells, non-porcellanous ventrally, with narrow peripheral edge and 7-8 whorls decorated with irregular spirals wrinkles. The base is slightly concave. Foreign objects are usually attached to all whorls of these shells, usually mollusk shells, pebbles, or small pieces of coral rock. The Mediterranean Carrier Shell uses these fragments for camouflage and to strengthen its rather fragile shell.[5]

Distribution

This marine species is present in the Mediterranean Sea and off West Africa to Angola.[4][6]

Bibliography
  • Ponder W.F. (1983). A revision of the Recent Xenophoridae of the World and of the Australian Fossil Species (Mollusca : Gastropoda). Memoir 17. The Australian Museum Sydney, Australia.

References
  1. Paleobiology Database
  2. Xenophora crispa (König, 1825). WoRMS (2010). Xenophora (Xenophora) crispa (König, 1825). In: Bouchet, P.; Gofas, S.; Rosenberg, G. (2010) World Marine Mollusca database. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=141970 on 9 July 2010 .
  3. Encyclopedia of life
  4. "Xenophora (Xenophora) crispa". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  5. Natura Mediterraneo
  6. Paolo Mariottini, Carlo Smriglio, Pierluigi Bombi REVISION OF THE MEDITERRANEAN CARRIER SHELL: THE XENOPHORA MEDITERRANEACOMPLEX (MOLLUSCA, GASTROPODA: XENOPHORIDAE)
  • Gofas, S.; Le Renard, J.; Bouchet, P. (2001). Mollusca. in: Costello, M.J. et al. (eds), European Register of Marine Species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Patrimoines Naturels. 50: 180-213.


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