''Clanculus ringens'', common name the ringent clanculus, 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.Rosenberg, G. (2012). ''Clanculus ringens'' (Menke, 1843). Accessed through:

World Register of Marine Species The World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) is a taxonomic database that aims to provide an authoritative and comprehensive list of names of marine organisms. Content The content of the registry is edited and maintained by scientific specialis ...

at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=594208 on 2012-11-23

Description

The size of the shell varies between 8 mm and 13 mm. The perforate shell has a conical shape and contains 7

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 first whorl is smooth, yellowish; the following whorls are planulate, separated by canalicidate sutures. They are maculate with chestnut and white. They are spirally cingulate above with 4 elegantly granulate ridges, the upper and lower the larger. The body whorl is acutely carinated. The base of the shell is slightly convex, ornamented with 8 to 9 granose cinguli . The oblique

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 rhomboidal and narrow. The basal margin is sulcate-denticulate. The oblique

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 strong and terminates below in a large tooth, ringent above. The columella is callous, ringent, and plicate.H. Pilsbry, Manual of Conchology XI, Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia
(described as ''Trochus ringens'')

Distribution

This marine species is endemic to Australia and occurs off

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

and

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

References

* Menke, C.T. 1843. ''Molluscorum Novae Hollandiae Specimen in Libraria Aulica Hahniana''. Hannover : Hahniana 46 pp * Philippi, R.A. 1852. ''Trochidae''. pp. 233–248 in Küster, H.C. (ed). Systematisches Conchylien-Cabinet von Martini und Chemnitz. Nürnberg : Bauer & Raspe Vol. 2 * Fischer, P. 1877. ''Genres Calcar, Trochus, Xenophora, Tectarius et Risella''. pp. 115–240 in Keiner, L.C. (ed.). Spécies general et iconographie des coquilles vivantes. Paris : J.B. Baillière Vol. 11 * Tate, R. 1881. ''On Menke's Australian Shells''. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 6(2): 387-408 * Hedley, C. 1902. ''Notes on Tasmanian Conchology''. Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania 1902: 77-78 * Cotton, B.C. & Godfrey, F.K. 1934. ''South Australian Shells. Part 11''. South Australian Naturalist 15(3): 77-92 * Cotton, B.C. 1959. ''South Australian Mollusca. Archaeogastropoda''. Handbook of the Flora and Fauna of South Australia. Adelaide : South Australian Government Printer 449 pp * Wells, F.E. & Bryce, C.W. 1986. ''Seashells of Western Australia''. Perth : Western Australian Museum 207 pp * Wilson, B. 1993. ''Australian Marine Shells. Prosobranch Gastropods''. Kallaroo, Western Australia : Odyssey Publishing Vol. 1 408 pp * Jansen, P. 1995. ''A review of the genus Clanculus Montfort, 1810 (Gastropoda: Trochidae) in Australia, with description of a new subspecies and the introduction of a nomen novum''. Vita Marina 43(1-2): 39-62

External links

To Biodiversity Heritage Library (7 publications)

To World Register of Marine Species
* {{Taxonbar, from=Q5125715 ringens Gastropods of Australia Gastropods described in 1843