''Burnupena pubescens'' 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 ...

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 ...

Buccinidae, the true whelks.

Description

The size of an adult shell varies between 40 mm and 50 mm. Very similar to ''B. papyracea''. Also often covered with the encrusting bryozoan ''

Alcyonidium nodosum ''Alcyonidium nodosum'' is a species of bryozoan belonging to the family Alcyonidiidae. The species is found in Southern Africa. The species inhabits marine environments. References Ctenostomatida Marine fauna of Southern Africa Anima ...

'' and differs mainly in being smaller and having fine longitudinal ridges which cross the spirals to produce a slightly checkered effect, generally not visible under the bryozoan.Branch, G.M., Branch, M.L, Griffiths, C.L. and Beckley, L.E. (2010). ''Two Oceans: a guide to the marine life of southern Africa'' Struik Nature, Cape Town. The ovate shell is elongated and subturreted. It is generally of a clear fawn color, marked with numerous spots of a deep chestnut or reddish color, oblong or quadrangular, alternating with other similar spots of a dull white. The first, oftentimes, form longitudinal bands. The pointed spire is conical and, formed of six slightly convex

whorl A whorl ( or ) is an individual circle, oval, volution or equivalent in a whorled pattern, which consists of a spiral or multiple concentric objects (including circles, ovals and arcs). Whorls in nature File:Photograph and axial plane floral ...

s, the lowest of which is as large as all the others. They are flattened and angular at the upper part, crowned upon the angle by a subgranulated margin. The suture is accompanied at the upper part of each whorl, by a small, slightly convex and undulating margin. Upon the

body whorl The body whorl is part of the morphology of the shell in those gastropod mollusks that possess a coiled shell. The term is also sometimes used in a similar way to describe the shell of a cephalopod mollusk. In gastropods In gastropods, the b ...

are seen nine rounded, transverse, very angular folds. The other whorls are also ornamented with three folds. The spaces between them bear fine transverse striae. The

aperture In optics, an aperture is a hole or an opening through which light travels. More specifically, the aperture and focal length of an optical system determine the cone angle of a bundle of rays that come to a focus in the image plane. An opt ...

is white, ovate and elongated. The thick columella is rounded, white and almost straight. The right edge is thin, and slightly sharp.Kiener (1837). General species and iconography of recent shells : comprising the Massena Museum, the collection of Lamarck, the collection of the Museum of Natural History, and the recent discoveries of travellers
Pub. W.D. Ticknor, Boston. Translated from French by David Humphreys Storer. Described as ''Buccinum tigrinum'', p. 27–28.

Distribution

This marine species is found in South African waters off

Namibia Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and ea ...

and KwaZuluNatal.

References

* Kilburn R.N. (1972). ''Taxonomic notes on South African marine Mollusca, with the description of new species and subspecies of Conus, Nassarius, Vexillum and Demoulia''. Annals of the Natal Museum 21(2):391–437 * Branch, G.M. et al. (2002). ''Two Oceans''. 5th impression. David Philip, Cate Town & Johannesburg

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Burnupena Pubescens Buccinidae Gastropods described in 1858