Thoristella chathamensis aucklandica

Taxobox
name = "Thoristella chathamensis aucklandica"
status =
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Mollusca
classis = Gastropoda
subclassis = Prosobranchia
ordo = Archaeogastropoda
superfamilia = Trochacea
familia = Trochidae
genus = "Thoristella"
species = "T. chathamensis"
subspecies = "T. chathamensis aucklandica"
trinomial = "Thoristella chathamensis aucklandica"
trinomial_authority = (E. A Smith, 1902)

"Thoristella chathamensis aucklandica" is a subspecies of small sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Trochidae, the top snails or top shell.

Distribution

This subspecies is endemic to New Zealand, found around the Auckland Islands, the Bounty Islands, and off Otago Heads.

Habitat

These top snails are found from low tide to depths of up to 110 m.

Description

The shell is variable in height, strength of peripheral keel, and presence or absence of subsutural axials, but it is always without maculations. The typical form is tall-conical, with straight outlines, a broadly angled, but not flanged periphery, flat-topped spiral cords, only weak subsutural axial folds at most, and colour dull pink, yellowish towards the white umbilicus, and pearly within the aperture.

The shell height is up to 9 mm, and width 9 mm.

References

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