Amalda australis

Taxobox
name = "Amalda australis"
status =


regnum = Animalia
phylum = Mollusca
classis = Gastropoda
subclassis = Orthogastropoda
superordo = Caenogastropoda
ordo = Sorbeoconcha
subordo = Hypsogastropoda
infraordo = Neogastropoda
familia = Olividae
genus = "Amalda"
species = "A. australis"
binomial = "Amalda australis"
binomial_authority = (Sowerby, 1830)

"Amalda australis", or the southern olive, is a medium-sized sea snail, a gastropod mollusc of the family Olividae, the olives.

Range of distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand. It is found around the North Island, and the northern South Island.

Habitat

This olive lives on sandy flats in shallow water.

hell description

The shell is rather large and solid, with a broadly conical spire and a moderate callus, spreading below over the parietal area. The columella has two strong plaits above, followed by two weak ones.

The external shell coloration is dark; the spire is reddish-brown or creamy-white above, and broadly zoned in dark reddish-brown, extending equally, both above and below the suture. A white spiral line margins the top of the broad body whorl area, that is dark bluish to purplish-brown, and its lower edge terminates at a basal groove, similarly coloured but paler.

The shell height is up to 40 mm, and the width is up to 19 mm.clear

References

* Powell A W B, "New Zealand Mollusca", William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979 ISBN 0-00-216906-1
* Glen Pownall, "New Zealand Shells and Shellfish", Seven Seas Publishing Pty Ltd, Wellington, New Zealand 1979 ISBN 85467-054-8