Xymene mortenseni mortenseni

Taxobox
name = "Xymene mortenseni mortenseni"


image_caption =
status =
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Mollusca
classis = Gastropoda
ordo = Sorbeoconcha
familia = Muricidae
genus = "Xymene"
species = "X. mortenseni"
subspecies = "X. mortenseni mortenseni"
trinomial = "Xymene mortenseni mortenseni"
trinomial_authority = (Odhner, 1924)
synonyms = "Trophon mortenseni" Odhner, 1924

"Xymene mortenseni mortenseni" is a subspecies of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Muricidae, the rock snails or murex snails.

Distribution

This murex subspecies is endemic to New Zealand's Auckland Islands.

Habitat

This snail is found intertidally, and to depths of about 10 m.

hell description

The shell is narrowly , with a moderately tall spire and a long straight, slightly oblique siphonal canal. Sculpture consists of strong blunt axials, 12 or 13 on the last two whorls, crossed by almost equally strong spiral cords, the interstices broader than high. The surface is crossed by dense, fine, axial lamellae. The
aperture is small, narrowly ovate, with a dentate ridge within the outer lip.

Coloration is dull creamy-white, and brown tinged within the aperture.

Height is up to 14.5 mm, and width up to 6.5 mm.

References

* Powell A W B, "New Zealand Mollusca", William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979 ISBN 0-00-216906-1