Lamellaria ophione

Taxobox
name = "Lamellaria ophione"


image_caption =
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Mollusca
classis = Gastropoda
subclassis = Orthogastropoda
superordo = Caenogastropoda
ordo = Sorbeoconcha
subordo = Hypsogastropoda
infraordo = Littorinimorpha
superfamilia = Velutinoidea
familia = Velutinidae
subfamilia = Lamellariinae
genus = "Lamellaria"
species = "L. ophione"
binomial = "Lamellaria ophione"
binomial_authority = Gray, 1850

"Lamellaria ophione" is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Velutinidae.

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand, found around the North Island and the northern half of the South Island.

Habitat

This top shell lives in shallow water.

Description

The shell is oblong, elongate, thin, pellucid-white, with a very thin, slightly iridescent periostracum. The animal is broadly oval, 18 to 20 mm in length, the mantle smooth, yellowish or white, blotched or speckled with grey. Although the shell is not visible externally its presence is indicated by a dorsal bulge.

The shell height is up to 13 mm, and width is up to 11 mm.

References

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