Clavatula muricata

Clavatula muricata
Apertural view of Clavatula muricata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
(unranked):	clade Caenogastropoda clade Hypsogastropoda clade Neogastropoda
Superfamily:	Conoidea
Family:	Clavatulidae
Genus:	Clavatula
Species:	C. muricata
Binomial name
Clavatula muricata (Lamarck, 1822)
Synonyms[1]
Pleurotoma mitra Wood, W., 1828 Pleurotoma muricata Lamarck, 1822 Pleurotoma virginea Reeve, L.A., 1843

Clavatula muricata is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Clavatulidae.^{[1] [2]}

Description

The size of an adult shell varies between 20 mm and 45 mm. The upper portion of the whorls are smooth and concave, with a sutural band of tubercles, sometimes becoming spinose. The periphery of the shell is angulated, and tuberculate, as well as the body whorl below it. This is caused by rude curved longitudinal ribs crossed by the revolving sculpture. The color of the shell is light yellowish brown, sometimes fasciated. The aperture is occasionally light violaceous, but mostly white. This species varies much in form and in the degree of development of the tubercles and spines. ^[3]

Distribution

This species occurs in the Atlantic Ocean along São Tomé and Príncipe and from Senegal to Gabon;

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Clavatula muricata (Lamarck, 1822).  Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=225513 on 4 April 2010.
2. ^ P. Bouchet, Yu. I. Kantor, A. Sysoev & N. Puillandre (2011). "A new operational classification of the Conoidea (Gastropoda)". Journal of Molluscan Studies 77 (3): 273–308. doi:10.1093/mollus/eyr017. 
3. ^ George Washington Tryon, Manual of Conchology vol. VI p. 229; 1884

• Bernard, P.A. (Ed.) (1984). Coquillages du Gabon [Shells of Gabon]. Pierre A. Bernard: Libreville, Gabon. 140, 75 plates pp.

External links

• Gastropods.com: Clavatula muricata muricata; accessed: 21 August 2011