''Cerithium zebrum'' 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 ...

Cerithiidae Cerithiidae, common name the cerithiids or ceriths, is a large family of medium-sized marine gastropods in the clade Sorbeoconcha. Distribution Ceriths are found worldwide on sandy bottoms, reef flats or coral reef rock covered with sand a ...

. ''Cerithium zebrum'' is also commonly named zebra horn.

Description

''Cerithium zebrum'' has a distinctive growth to its shell where it starts as a solitary spiral cord that progressively strengthens over time giving its more pronounced spiral shell. There are numerous threads within its shell that differentiate in toughness since when they form a keel it tends to have more fragile ribs or axial riblets due to its one spiral strand. Its shell reaches about 7mm in length. Coming in many different colors from brown to beige, salmon, and even mauve. They also have a variable design that the shell has between being banded and unbanded.

Distribution & Habitat

The distribution of ''Cerithium zebrum'' includes the Western Central Pacific.''Cerithium zebrum''
sealifebase.org, accessed 9 January 2011. The primary habitat of ''Cerithium zebrum'' is found among the rocky shores of the rugged and ever-changing conditions of the intertidal zone or tidal pools. It's also said they can be found among the anchialine ponds which are in other words brackish water. (Brackish water is a mix between fresh and saltwater). * Guam * Hawaii * American Samoa * Northern Mariana Islands * Indonesia * Philippines

References

* Hasegawa K. (2017). Family Cerithiidae. Pp. 788-793, in: T. Okutani (ed.), Marine Mollusks in Japan, ed. 2. 2 vols. Tokai University Press. 1375 pp.

External links

Gould A.A. (1849). [Descriptions of new species of shells, brought home by the U. S. Exploring Expedition
Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History. 3: 83-85, 89-92, 106-108, 118-121 [May 1849], 140-144]
Deshayes G.P. (1863). Catalogue des mollusques de l'île de la Réunion (Bourbon). Pp. 1-144. In Maillard, L. (Ed.) Notes sur l'Ile de la Réunion. Dentu, Paris

Melvill J.C. & Standen R. (1895) Notes on a collection of shells from Lifu and Uvea, Loyalty Islands, formed by the Rev. James and Mrs. Hadfield, with list of species. Journal of Conchology 8: 84–132, 3 pls

Crosse H. (1863). [Book review of
Catalogue des mollusques de l'île de la Réunion (Bourbon), par M. G.P. Deshayes. Journal de Conchyliologie. 11(4): 394-401">ook review of">Crosse H. (1863). [Book review of
Catalogue des mollusques de l'île de la Réunion (Bourbon), par M. G.P. Deshayes. Journal de Conchyliologie. 11(4): 394-401
Houbrick R.S. (1993) Two confusing Indo-Pacific cerithiids. The Nautilus 107(1): 14-23

Smith E.A. (1903). A list of species of Mollusca from South Africa, forming an Appendix to G. B. Sowerby's "Marine Shells of South Africa". Proceedings of the Malacological Society of London. 5(6): 354-402, pl. 15
Cerithiidae Gastropods described in 1841 {{Cerithiidae-stub