''Clanculus miniatus'', common name the keeled top 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, 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 ...

Trochidae The Trochidae, common name top-snails or top-shells, are a family of various sized sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the subclass Vetigastropoda. This family is commonly known as the top-snails because in many species the shell resemb ...

, the top snails.

Description

The height of the shell varies between 12½ mm and 15 mm, its diameter between 15 mm and 17 mm. The conical shell is carinated at the periphery and deeply umbilicated. It is painted with crimson and brown radiating bifurcating stripes above, the apical whorls crimson. The base of the shell is convex, radiately strigate or finely tessellate with brown. The about 6 whorls are subplanulate, but with a slightly salient central carina above. They are spirally finely granose-lirate, the lirae narrow, close, about 8 to 12 in number on the upper surface of the body whorl, the 5th forming a slightly projecting carina. The base is finely lirate, the lirae granose, about 15, subequal, or sometimes alternately smaller with the radiately striate interstices. 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 ...

is rather large and subrhomboidal. The outer

lip The lips are the visible body part at the mouth of many animals, including humans. Lips are soft, movable, and serve as the opening for food intake and in the articulation of sound and speech. Human lips are a tactile sensory organ, and can be ...

is lirate within with a crenulate, expanded base. The long

columella Lucius Junius Moderatus Columella (; Arabic: , 4 – ) was a prominent writer on agriculture in the Roman Empire. His ' in twelve volumes has been completely preserved and forms an important source on Roman agriculture, together with the wo ...

is straight, strongly dentate at its base, obsoletely folded above, inserted upon the side of the umbilicus, which is smooth within, bordered by a slight, smooth rib. In its conical form, densely granose-lirate sculpture and the carina in the middle of the upper surface of the whorls, this form is quite distinct.H. Pilsbry, Manual of Conchology XI, Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia
(described as ''Trochus miniatus'')

Distribution

This marine species occurs off

Mozambique Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi ...

and

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...

References

* Herbert G.G. (1993). ''Revision of the Trochinae, tribe Trochini (Gastropoda: Trochidae) of southern Africa''. Annals of the Natal Museum 34(2):239–308

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Clanculus Miniatus miniatus Gastropods described in 1839