Demoulia abbreviata
Demoulia abbreviata, common name : the obtuse demoulia, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Nassariidae, the Nassa mud snails or dog whelks.[1]
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| Species: | D. abbreviata |
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| Demoulia abbreviata (Gmelin, 1791) | |
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Description
The shell size varies between 20 mm and 36 mm
The ovate, ventricose shell is of a whitish or chestnut color, marked sometimes with deeper spots. The suture is deep and canaliculated, the exterior edge of which is slightly rounded and surrounded by a white band, alternated with fawn-colored blotches. The scaffolded spire is formed of six or seven nearly flat whorls. The body whorl, on the contrary, is very convex, and larger than all the others united. Upon the surface of this shell, are seen equal, raised striae. The white aperture is subrotund, narrowed at the upper part and dilated inferiorly. The thin outer lip is crenulated upon the edge, and marked interiorly with very prominent transverse striae . The columella is arcuated and covered by the inner lip, which is obliterated, flattened and corrugated above. It forms, from the middle to the base, a thick and projecting callus, which is terminated by a very apparent fold, and by two guttules.[2]
Distribution
This marine species occurs off Saldanha Bay, South Transkei, Rep. South Africa.
Sometimes trawled at 85 metres depth.
References
- Gofas, S. (2015). Demoulia abbreviata. In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=553036 on 15 May 2016
- 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 abbreviatum)
- Gmelin, J. F. (1791). Vermes. In: Gmelin J.F. (Ed.) Caroli a Linnaei Systema Naturae per Regna Tria Naturae, Editio Decima Tertia, Aucta Reformata. Tome 1, Pars 6 (Vermes). G.E. Beer, Lipsiae [Leipzig]. pp. 3021–3910
- 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.
External links
- "Demoulia abbreviata". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
