Nerita atramentosa

Nerita atramentosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
(unranked):	clade Neritimorpha clade Cycloneritimorpha
Superfamily:	Neritoidea
Family:	Neritidae
Subfamily:	Neritinae
Genus:	Nerita
Species:	N. atramentosa
Binomial name
Nerita atramentosa Reeve, 1855

Nerita atramentosa, common name the black nerite, is a medium-sized sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Neritidae, the nerites.

There has been some confusion over the taxonomy of the Nerita genus in the Pacific region, however Nerita atramentosa and Nerita melanotragus are now recognised as separate species (the two have often been considered to be the same species).

Ecology

Distribution

This nerite is endemic to the southern coast of Australia including Tasmania, New South Wales, South Australia, southern Western Australia and Victoria. The similar species, Nerita melanotragus occurs to the east of Wilsons Promontory, while N. atramentosa occurs to the west.

Habitat

This species is commonly found on intertidal rocks, particularly in the mid to upper intertidal zone. It prefers to attach to sloped or vertical rock surfaces, or hang from the underside of rocks. This may be a method of thermoregulation, as if N. atramentosa is on a horizontal surface, it will absorb the maximum solar radiation. By contrast, if it is on a greater angle to the sun, it absorbs less energy (and thus heat). N. atramentosa exhibits trail following behaviour. The species feeds by scraping epilithic algae using their radula. Nerites are preyed upon by reef crabs of the species (Ozius truncatus).

References

• Chilton, N. B & Bull, C. M. (1984) Influence of predation by a crab on the distribution of the size-groups of three intertidal gastropods in South AustraliaInfluence of predation by a crab on the distribution of the size-groups of three intertidal gastropods in South Australia. Marine Biology, 83(2) pp. 163-169
• Spencer, H.G., Waters, J.M. & Eichhorst, T.E. (2007) Taxonomy and nomenclature of black nerites (Gastropoda: Neritimorpha: Nerita) from the South Pacific. Invertebrate Systematics, 21 pp. 229-237.
• Waters, J.M., King, T.M., O'Loughlin, P.M. & Spencer, H.G. (2005) Phylogeographic disjunction in an abundant high-dispersal littoral gastropod. Molecular Ecology, 14 pp. 2789-2802

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