''Emarginula huzardii'' 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 ...

Fissurellidae Fissurellidae, common name the keyhole limpets and slit limpets, is a taxonomic family of limpet-like sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Vetigastropoda.Rosenberg, G. (2012). Fissurellidae. Accessed through: World Register of Marin ...

, the keyhole limpets.

Description

''Emarginula huzardii'' is a small keyhole limpet, with a depressed, oblong-ovate shell no longer than 16.8 mm, the breadth 8 mm and the height 2.5 to 4 mm. The minute

apex The apex is the highest point of something. The word may also refer to: Arts and media Fictional entities * Apex (comics), a teenaged super villainess in the Marvel Universe * Ape-X, a super-intelligent ape in the Squadron Supreme universe *Apex ...

is slightly recurved. The straight posterior slope is half the length of the convex front slope. The exhalant slit is narrow, about one-fifth to one-sixth the length of the shell. A narrow callus extends from the apex to the slit. The surface is reticulated with 25 - 28 alternately larger and smaller radiating riblets and delicately raised concentric laminae. These form compressed scales on the ribs and cut the interstices into pits. The side margin is finely denticulated and arched so that the shell rests upon the ends only.

Distribution

This species has only been found in the

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ea ...

and the

Adriatic Sea The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Sea) to t ...

, living on infralittoral hard substrates.

References

* Sherborn, C.D., 1922 Index Animalium. Part I. Introduction, Bibliography, p. 1-131 * Gofas, S.; Le Renard, J.; Bouchet, P. (2001). Mollusca, in: Costello, M.J. et al. (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels, 50: pp. 180–213

External links

Payraudeau B. C. (1826). ''Catalogue descriptif et méthodique des Annelides et des Mollusques de l'île de Corse.'' Paris, 218 pp. + 8 pl.
Fissurellidae Gastropods described in 1826 {{Fissurellidae-stub