Summary
Alcithoe arabica, common name Arabic volute, is a species of very large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Volutidae, the volutes.[1][2]
| Alcithoe arabica | |
|---|---|
| |
| A shell of the shouldered form of Alcithoe arabica | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
| Order: | Neogastropoda |
| Family: | Volutidae |
| Genus: | Alcithoe |
| Species: | A. arabica
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| Binomial name | |
| Alcithoe arabica (Gmelin, 1791)
| |
| Synonyms | |
|
Alcithoe swainsoni Marwick, 1926 | |
Distribution edit
This species is endemic to New Zealand.[1][3][4]
Description edit
Shells of Alcithoe arabica can reach a height of 75–225 millimetres (3.0–8.9 in) and a width of 88 mm.[1] These shells are usually large, solid, fusiform, with relatively weak tubercles on the shoulder of the body whorl.[1] The shell aperture is high with a thickened, rounded outer lip.[1] The external surface is yellowish-white with chestnut zig-zac markings, forming five bands on the body whorl. These zig-zag markings were thought to resemble Arabic writing, giving rise to the name of the species.
There is no operculum in A. arabica. Individuals have a large grey to brown foot, flecked with purple and orange markings.[5]
Ecology edit
These sea snails live in subtidal waters on soft sediments.[5] Alcithoe arabica are able to move quite quickly on the soft substrate. They feed on bivalves that they smother using their large foot. The rounded, thin shelled eggs of this species are laid on stones or other shells.[5]
Subspecies edit
Gallery edit
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A shell of Alcithoe arabica (smooth form) -
Apertural view
References edit
- ^ a b c d e Powell A. W. B., New Zealand Mollusca, William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979 ISBN 0-00-216906-1
- ^ a b c WoRMS World Register of Marine Species: Alcithoe arabica (Gmelin, 1791)
- ^ Hills, Simon F.K.; Trewick, Steven A.; Morgan-Richards, Mary (2011). "Phylogenetic information of genes, illustrated with mitochondrial data from a genus of gastropod molluscs". Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 104 (4): 770–785. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8312.2011.01756.x.
- ^ Hills, Simon F.K.; Crampton, James S.; Trewick, Steven A.; Morgan-Richards, Mary (2012). "DNA and Morphology Unite Two Species and 10 Million Year Old Fossils". PLOS ONE. 7 (12): e52083. Bibcode:2012PLoSO...752083H. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0052083. PMC 3527379. PMID 23284880.
- ^ a b c Marine Life - Snail, Arabic Volute
Further reading edit
- Powell A W B, New Zealand Mollusca, William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979 ISBN 0-00-216906-1
- Bail, P., Limpus, A. 2005: A Conchological Iconography 11, The Recent Volutes of New Zealand, with a revision of the genus Alcithoe H. & A. Adams, 1853, ConchBooks, Hackenheim, Germany.
- Gordon, D. NZIB: New Zealand Inventory of Biodiversity.
- Grant-Mackie, Jack (December 2011). "A Fossil Egg Case of Alcithoe arabica from the Whanganui Pleistocene". Poirieria. 36: 10–12. ISSN 0032-2377. Wikidata Q115466954.
- Chris Horne (July 2005). "Observations on Alcithoe arabica at Bucklands Beach". Poirieria. 31: 21. ISSN 0032-2377. Wikidata Q115466921.
External links edit
- Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Taxon: Alcithoe arabica (Gmelin, 1791) (Species)
- Catalogue of Life: Alcithoe arabica (Gmelin, 1791)
- New Zealand Mollusca: Alcithoe arabica (Gmelin, 1791)
- "Alcithoe arabica". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
- Massey University NZ Fauna Scanned 3D model of Alcithoe arabica
- Natural History Museum Rotterdam: Alcithoe arabica (f) swainsoni Marwick, 1926