''Bullia rhodostoma'',
common name
In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often contrast ...
the smooth plough shell, 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
Sea snail is a common name for slow-moving marine gastropod molluscs, usually with visible external shells, such as whelk or abalone. They share the taxonomic class Gastropoda with slugs, which are distinguished from snails primarily by the ...
, a marine
gastropod
The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda ().
This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, from freshwater, and from land. T ...
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 Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
Nassariidae
The Nassariidae, Nassa mud snails (USA), or dog whelks (UK), are a taxonomic family of small to medium-sized sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the clade Neogastropoda.
"Dog whelk" also refers to ''Nucella lapillus''.
Shell description
T ...
, the nassa mud snails or dog whelks.
Description
The length of the shell varies between 25 mm and 50 mm. Bullia rhodostoma are a slow growing, long-lived species with a life span of 15-20 years, following a 0.79 mortality rate, and 0.21 survival rate in their first 3 years. Successful adaptation has occurred because Bullia rhodostoma uses their single foot for crawling fast to search for food (usually stranded organisms, as they are carnivores), burying in the sand and surfing in the water on the shore.
[Silva et al. 1987]
Distribution
This marine species occurs off
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
.
References
Further reading
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External links
Branch, G.M. et al. (2002). ''Two Oceans''. 5th impression. David Philip, Cape Town & Johannesburg*
Endemic molluscs of South Africa
Nassariidae
Gastropods described in 1847
{{Nassariidae-stub