Serpulorbis zelandicus

Taxobox
name = "Serpulorbis zelandicus"


status =
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Mollusca
classis = Gastropoda
subclassis = Orthogastropoda
superordo = Caenogastropoda
ordo = Sorbeoconcha
subordo = Hypsogastropoda
familia = Vermetidae
genus = "Serpulorbis"
species = "S. zelandicus"
binomial = "Serpulorbis zelandicus"
binomial_authority = (Quoy and Gaimard, 1834)
synonyms = "Vermetus zelandicus" Quoy and Gaimard, 1834
"Serpulorbis sipho" Suter, 1913

"Serpulorbis zelandicus" is a species of sea snail, a worm snail or worm shell, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Vermetidae, the worm snails.

Distribution

This species is endemic to the north east coast of the North Island of New Zealand.

Description

The shell is loosely coiled, solitary, or in intertwined groups of several individuals, attached along the whole of one side, except for about the last 12 mm, which is usually directed upward. The circular aperture has a diameter of 8 to 10 mm in the adult. The surface of the tube is longitudinally ridged and crossed by sharp ribs that render the sculpture finely scaly. There is no operculum.

The coloration of the shell is yellowish-brown, and the foot-plug (which takes the place of the operculum) is orange-red. The animal is mainly yellowish-brown to deep chocolate-red in colour.

References

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