''Cataegis leucogranulatus'' 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 ...
Cataegidae
Cataegidae is a family of small sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Seguenzioidea.Bouchet, P.; Gofas, S. (2012). ''Cataegidae''. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p= ...
.
[Bouchet, P. (2014). Cataegis leucogranulatus (Fu & Sun, 2006). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=751697 on 2015-02-19]
Description
The shells of this species are their most prominent feature, they are similar to those of the
Hybochelus fossulatus. They are about 5–10 mm and are whitish in color, having a lot of circular like protrusions forming a spiral pattern on the shell.
Distribution
This species occurs in the
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by the shores of South China (hence the name), in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Phil ...
, and predominantly is found at approximately 350 meters deep in the mud or sand. It has also been some found in the waters off
Pratas Island, located in
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by the shores of South China (hence the name), in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Phil ...
.
[http://www.bagniliggia.it/WMSD/HtmSpecies/5058000215.htm Database containing information on distribution]
References
* Warén A. (2011) ''Molluscs from biogenic substrates''. In Bouchet P., Le Guyader H. & Pascal O. (eds), The Natural History of Santo. Patrimoines Naturels 70: 438–448.
External links
ConchologyWorld Register of Marine Species
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cataegis Leucogranulatus
leucogranulatus
Gastropods described in 2006