Pupa kirki

Taxobox
name = "Pupa kirki"


image_caption =
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Mollusca
classis = Gastropoda
subclassis = Orthogastropoda
superordo = Heterobranchia
ordo = Opisthobranchia
subordo = Cephalaspidea
superfamilia = Acteonoidea
familia = Acteonidae
genus = "Pupa"
species = "P. kirki"
binomial = "Pupa kirki"
binomial_authority = (Hutton, 1873)
synonyms = "Buccinulus kirki" Hutton, 1873

"Pupa kirki" is a species of small sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Acteonidae.

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand, found around the North Island.

Habitat

This top shell lives on fine sandy bottoms at depths of between 40 and 200 m.

Description

The shell is solid, with spiral grooves and fine axial threads. The columella has a conspicuous plait, separated from the parietal wall by a deep groove.

Coloration varies from pure white to tessellated with black. The periostracum is thin and yellowish, often stained rusty-brown.

The shell height is up to 18 mm, and width is up to 7.5 mm.

References

* Powell A. W. B., "New Zealand Mollusca", William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979 ISBN 0-00-216906-1
* [http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.seaslugforum.net/images/c159690ab.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet.cfm%3Fbase%3Dpupakirk&h=425&w=300&sz=29&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=X02oYuFnvQWqTM:&tbnh=126&tbnw=89&prev=/images%3Fq%3DPupa%2Bkirki%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4GGIC_en__237__237%26sa%3DN Photo]