''Clanculus undatus'', common name the wavy Australian monodont, 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 Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean. Marine or marines may refer to: Ocean * Maritime (disambiguation) * Marine art * Marine biology * Marine debris * Marine habitats * Marine life * Marine pollution Military * ...

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 ...

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 resembles ...

, the top snails.Rosenberg, G. (2012). ''Clanculus undatus'' Lamarck, 1816. 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 specialist ...

at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=594213 on 2012-11-23

Description

The size of the shell varies between 20 mm and 40 mm. It is one of the largest species of ''Clanculus''. The large shell has a depressed conoid shape. It is excavated and false-umbilicate in the center beneath. It is cinereous or rose colored, radiately striped with brown or black. The stripes are sometimes broken into irregular maculations, especially on the base. The about 6

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 are convex around the upper part, then flattened, obtusely angulate at the periphery. The base of the shell is flattened and concave toward the center. The sutures are subcanaliculate. The acute apex is eroded. The following whorls are finely granose in spiral series, of which there are 10 to 12 on each whorl. 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 ...

is somewhat deflected anteriorly, bearing about 30 spiral granose ridges, very close and fine upon and below the periphery, coarser above and around the umbilicus, the interstices obliquely striate. 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 opt ...

is tetragonal. The outer and basal lips are thickened and plicate within. The oblique columella is inserted nearly in the bottom of the broad umbilical excavation, its edge reflexed and bearing about 10 denticles, twisted near the insertion, terminating below in a simple tooth. The parietal tract is wrinkled. The umbilicus has a plicate border, and in the middle a strong, sometimes crenulate, spiral funicle.H. Pilsbry, Manual of Conchology XI, Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia
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Distribution

This marine species is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to Australia and occurs off

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

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 ...

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

, Victoria 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

* Lamarck, J.B.P.A. de M. 1816. ''Liste des objets représentés dans les planches de cette livraison''. pp. 1–16 in Lamarck, J.B.P.A. de M. Tableau encyclopédique et méthodique des trois règnes de la nature. Vers, coquilles, mollusques et polypiers. Paris : Agasse Part 23 pp. 1–16, pls. 391-488 * Wood, W. 1828. ''Index Testaceologicus;'' or A Catalogue of Shells, British and Foreign, arranged according to the Linnean system. London : Taylor Supplement, 1-59, pls 1-8 * Cotton, B.C. & Godfrey, F.K. 1934. ''South Australian Shells. Part 11''. South Australian Naturalist 15(3): 77-92 * 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

Biodiversity Heritage Library (8 publications)

World Register of Marine Species
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5125728 undatus Gastropods of Australia Gastropods described in 1816