Olivella (gastropod)

Olivella (gastropod)
Olivella
Olivella biplicata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
(unranked): clade Caenogastropoda

clade Hypsogastropoda
clade Neogastropoda
Superfamily: Olivoidea
Family: Olivellidae
Genus: Olivella
Swainson, 1831[1]

Olivella, common name the dwarf olives, is a genus of small predatory sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Olivellidae, the dwarf olives. Olivella is the type genus of the family.[2]

Contents

Description

The distinction between the shells of Olivella and Oliva is not easy to define, but species of Olivella are usually quite small, hence the genus has the common name "dwarf olive".Species of Oliva are usually larger, but there are exceptions.

The shell of Olivella usually has a keel-like twist at the anterior end of the columella. The wall above it may be concave or have deep furrows. The inner lip can sometimes show a deep callus, and in many cases this extends over the parietal wall to the end of the aperture. This callus formation may extend to the spire but leave the suture open. Most species have a thin, chitinous operculum, but this operculum is lacking in Olivella nivea as is also the case in species of Oliva.

Species

Species in the genus Olivella include:[2][3]

Species brought into synonymy 
  • Olivella amoni Sterba & Lorenz, 2005 : synonym of Janoliva amoni (Sterba & Lorenz, 2005)
  • Olivella australis Tenison-Woods, 1878  : synonym of Parviterebra brazieri (Angas, 1875)
  • Olivella millepunctata Duclos, 1840 : synonym of Olivancillaria millepunctata (Duclos, 1840)
  • 'Olivella paxillus Reeve, 1850  : synonym of Oliva nitidula Duclos, 1835

References

  1. ^ Swainson W. J. (1831). Zool. Illust. (2)2(13): plate 58.
  2. ^ a b WoRMS (2010). Olivella Swainson, 1831. In: Bouchet, P.; Gofas, S.; Rosenberg, G. (2010) World Marine Mollusca database. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=138274 on 2011-01-02
  3. ^ Olivella Swainson, 1831. ITIS, accessed 26 September 2009.

External links


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