''Angaria loebbeckei'' is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of sea snail, a marine gastropod

mollusk Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is e ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Angariidae. It was discovered and described in 2022 based on only four specimens, which are part of both private and museum collections. In honour of the shell collector Theodor Löbbecke, who would have celebrated its 200th birthday in 2021, the new species was named after him. The holotype is preserved in the Aquazoo Löbbecke Museum in

Düsseldorf Düsseldorf ( , , ; often in English sources; Low Franconian and Ripuarian language, Ripuarian: ''Düsseldörp'' ; archaic nl, Dusseldorp ) is the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state of Germany. It is the second- ...

, Germany, which houses the collection started by Theodor Löbbecke. "Günther, R. (2022). Angaria loebbeckei n. sp. - a new species from an old collection (Gastropoda: Angariidae). Conchylia. 52(3-4): 61-66. page(s): 61, pls 1-2

Description

''Angaria loebbeckei'' is a rather small snail growing up to 25 to 30 mm. Günther (2022) describes the spire of the shell as quite low to moderately high. The shoulder of the shell is straight or wavy/knobby. The spines are variable from totally absent to long and straight. The colour is also rather variable, overall as carmine red with a pink or white background and dark red spines (if present).

Distribution and habitat

''Angaria loebbeckei'' can be found in the ocean around Nicobar Islands,

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

and Sri Lanka, presumably in rather shallow water.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q111170777 Angariidae Gastropods described in 2022