''Clanculus villanus'' is a species 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 in the family Trochidae, the top snails. Clanculus villanus 001

Description

The size of an adult shell varies between 10 mm and 21 mm. It differs from the typical forms of ''Clanculus'' in lacking the strong tooth at the base of the columella. The very solid shell has a conical shape. It is cinereous-olive or purplish, lighter beneath, and sparsely dotted with black. 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 flo ...

s are slightly convex, and spirally lirate. 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 encircled by about 14 granose separated lirae, of which about 6 are on the upper surface, their interstices bearing spiral stripe. The body whorl is obtusely angular at the periphery, slightly convex beneath, a little descending anteriorly. The aperture is rounded-tetragonal. The outer and basal lips are plicate within. The columella is as in '' Clanculus guineensis'' Gmelin, 1791 but longer. The narrow umbilicus is deep. The parietal wall is slightly calloused and is wrinkled.H. Pilsbry, Manual of Conchology XI, Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia
(described as ''Trochus villanus'')

Distribution

This species occurs in the Atlantic Ocean off Senegal and Gabon.

References

* Bernard, P.A. (Ed.) (1984). ''Coquillages du Gabon hells of Gabon'. Pierre A. Bernard: Libreville, Gabon. 140, 75 plates pp.

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Clanculus Villanus villanus Gastropods described in 1846 Taxa named by Rodolfo Amando Philippi