Amoria (genus)

Taxobox
name = "Amoria"


image_caption = Maculated Volute, "Amoria maculata"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Mollusca
classis = Gastropoda
subclassis = Orthogastropoda
ordo = Sorbeoconcha
superfamilia = Volutoidea
familia = Volutidae
genus = "Amoria"
genus_authority = Gray, 1855
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = "Amoria damoni"
"Amoria dampieria"
"Amoria diamantina"
"Amoria ellioti"
"Amoria exoptanda"
"Amoria grayi"
"Amoria guttata"
"Amoria hunteri"
"Amoria jamrachi"
"Amoria kawamurai"
"Amoria macandrewi"
"Amoria maculata"
"Amoria molleri"
"Amoria necopinata"
"Amoria praetexta"
"Amoria rinkensei"
"Amoria spenceriana"
"Amoria turneri"
"Amoria undulata"
"Amoria volva"
"Amoria weldensis"
"Amoria zebra"

"Amoria" is a taxonomic genus of medium sized predatory marine gastropod in the family Volutidae. "Amoria" includes 20-30 species.

Distribution

"Amoria" are found in onshore and offshore waters around the entire coast of Australia. Several species extend into offshore waters of southern Indonesia. The highest areas of diversity are in the intertidal and shallow subtidal waters of northern Western Australia followed by the subtidal waters around the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland.

Shell description

"Amoria" have smooth conical protoconch, a solid very glossy shell and an elongate aperture with 4 distinct columellar plicae. The colour pattern of the genus "Amoria" is variable, the base colour is white, yellow or pink with varying degrees or brown axial lines forming a pattern over the base colour. Axial lines may be free or may reticulate to form a tented pattern.

The largest species "Amoria hunteri" reaches over 200 mm in length. The smallest species is probably "Amoria dampieria" frequently around 20 mm.

Biology

"Amoria" are nocturnal and predate on other gastropods and on bivalves. They generally inhabit areas with well sorted coarse sand. Some "Amoria" species have been noted to bite people when they are handled. The bite is followed by a mild sting but no long term effects have been noted.

Taxonomy

Many subspecific names have been created in the genus "Amoria" to distinguish colour variations in the shells of the species.

References

"Australian marine shells 2"Wilson B, Odyssey Publishing, Kallaroo, Western Australia 1994ISBN 0-646-155225-4