Siphonaria australis

Taxobox
name = "Siphonaria australis"


image_width =
status =
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Mollusca
classis = Gastropoda
subclassis = Orthogastropoda
superordo = Heterobranchia
ordo = Pulmonata
familia = Siphonariidae
genus = "Siphonaria"
species = "S. australis"
binomial = "Siphonaria australis"
binomial_authority = Quoy & Gaimard, 1833

"Siphonaria australis" is a species of air-breathing sea snail or false limpet, a marine pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Siphonariidae, the false limpets.

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand. It is found from Cook Strait south, including Stewart Island, the Chatham Islands, and the Snares Islands.

Habitat

This snail is found on the holdfasts of the giant kelp genus "Durvillea".

hell description

The shell is broadly ovate, of low profile, sculptured with numerous, subequal, undulating, rounded radial ribs.

The shell coloration is greyish-white externally, with light brownish between the ribs. Internally, it is liver-brown, whitish at the termination of the ribs, and clouded with dark brown over the central area. The shell length is up to 27 mm, width up to 22 mm, and height up to 7 mm.

References

* Powell A. W. B., "New Zealand Mollusca", William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979 ISBN 0-00-216906-1