Lusitanops gigasei
Lusitanops gigasei is an extinct species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Raphitomidae.[1]
| Lusitanops gigasei | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
| Order: | Neogastropoda |
| Superfamily: | Conoidea |
| Family: | Raphitomidae |
| Genus: | Lusitanops |
| Species: | L. gigasei |
| Binomial name | |
| Lusitanops gigasei Marquet 1998 | |
Description
The length of the shell attains 6.1 mm; its diameter 1.9 mm.
It may be an intermediate species between Lusitanops and Xanthodaphne, that shows almost the same characteristics.[2] The shell of Lusitanops gigasei was basically thick and sturdy, which suggests that it may have been adapted to living in environments with higher water currents and turbulence. The spiral peak on the shell was also quite prominent, which may have been an adaptation for providing extra strength and structural support to the shell.
The shape and size of the shell also suggest that Lusitanops gigasei was a basically mobile and active predator, capable of hunting and capturing other small marine invertebrates in the surrounding waters. The pointed vertex of the shell may have helped it to penetrate through sand and sediment to access prey buried in the seafloor.
Distribution
Fossils of this species were found in Pliocene strata at Kallo, Belgium; age range: 6 to 2.588 Ma.
References
- Lusitanops gigasei : image
- MARQUET, Robert. "The Pliocene turrid Gastropods of Belgium. Part 2: Conidae (genera Asthenotoma, Comarmondia, Cytharella, Mangelia, Lusitanops, Raphitoma and Philbertia)." Bulletin-Institut royal des sciences naturelles de Belgique. Sciences de la terre 68 (1998): 263-287