Xymene pumilus

Taxobox
name = "Xymene pumilus"


image_caption =
status =
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Mollusca
classis = Gastropoda
ordo = Sorbeoconcha
familia = Muricidae
genus = "Xymene"
species = "X. pumilus"
binomial = "Xymene pumilus"
binomial_authority = (Suter, 1909)
synonyms = "Trophon ambiguus pumila" Suter, 1909
"Trophon bonneti" Suter, 1913
"Xymene robustus" Finlay, 1924
"Axymene pumila" Finlay, 1927

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

Distribution

This murex species is endemic to New Zealand, found along the east coast of the South Island, and around the New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands.

Habitat

This snail is found on rocky coasts, from low tide to depths of 550 m.

hell description

The shell is elongate-, with a tall spire of shouldered whorls, a moderately long twisted siphonal canal, and sculptured with heavy spiral cords and prominent axials, each composed of several lamellae, combined to produce rather strong nodulation at points of sculptural intersection. The aperture is oval, relatively small, and strongly lirate within.

Coloration is dull white.

Height is up to 25 mm, and width up to 12 mm.

References

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