Tonna tetracotula

Taxobox
name = "Tonna tetracotula"


image_caption =
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Mollusca
classis = Gastropoda
ordo = Neotaenioglossa
familia = Tonnidae
genus = "Tonna"
species = "T. tetracotula"
binomial = "Tonna tetracotula"
binomial_authority = Hedley, 1919

"Tonna tetracotula" is a very large species of sea snail or tun snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Tonnidae, the tun shells.

Distribution

This species is endemic to New South Wales in Australia, and north east New Zealand.

Habitat

This tun snail is found at depths of between 70 and 140 m.

hell description

The shell is very large with broad spiral corrugations, and a single thread at each interspace. The outer-lip is thin edged, but often it is margined within by a thickened ridge.

The shell coloration is white to pale yellowish-brown, the body whorl encircled by two bands of reddish-brown. The aperture is white, sometimes stained light brownish within. The protoconch is dark brown.

The shell height is up to 198 mm, and width 150 mm.

References

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