Gaza (gastropod)
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

''Gaza'' is a
genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
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 ...
s,
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 ...
s 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 ...
Margaritidae Margaritidae is a family of small sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Trochoidea (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005).Bouchet, P. (2012). Margaritidae. Accessed through: World Register ...
.


Description

An examination of the soft parts of a species of the genus Gaza, by Dall showed the operculum to be very thin, light brown, and with about seven
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 animal was of a whitish color without any spots or markings, and with very large black eyes set on a good-sized peduncle closely adjacent to and behind the tentacles. There is a single narrow gill in the usual position. The tentacles are long, large, and rather slender. The foot is short, broad, and bluntly rounded in front, behind almost truncate. In fact the contracted specimen looked almost as if there was a broad posterior indentation in the middle line. The muzzle is long, narrow, subcylindrical above and transversely expanded at its distal end, which is semi-lunar with a densely papillose surface and fringed edges. This expansion is nearly three times as wide as the stem of the muzzle. The epipodium (the lateral grooves between foot and mantle) has a large lobe behind the eye peduncle but is not connected with it. Behind the lobe is one long process and then a shorter one. The frill behind is merely puckered, but from under the borders of the operculum on each side protrude three good-sized processes. Behind the opercular lobe the epipodium terminates in a prominent point, concave and papillose on its upper surface. There are no frontal lobes between the tentacula. The epipodial point extends some distance behind the posterior end of the foot. The jaw is like that of ''
Calliostoma ''Calliostoma'' is a genus of small to medium-sized sea snails with gills and an operculum, marine gastropod molluscs within the family Calliostomatidae, the Calliostoma top snails. Previously this genus was placed within the family Trochidae ...
'' in shape. It is composed of brown four-sided translucent prismatic rodlets which give under the microscope a reticular marking of diamond-shaped spots to the surface of the jaw. The two sides are not united in the middle line. The
radula The radula (, ; plural radulae or radulas) is an anatomical structure used by molluscs for feeding, sometimes compared to a tongue. It is a minutely toothed, chitinous ribbon, which is typically used for scraping or cutting food before the food ...
closely resembles that of '' Lunella versicolor'' Gmelin as figured by Troschel (Geb. der Schnecken, ii, pi. 20, fig. 7), except that the bases of the rhachidian and lateral teeth are subcircular, and on a few of the scythe-shaped cusps of the numerous uncini (= the small teeth-like or hook-like structures on the radula) are a few denticles. There are five lateral teeth, and between twenty and thirty uncini. (Dall). The nucleus of '' Gaza superba'' is often caducous, and in such specimens the
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 pierced with a circular perforation 1½ mm in diameter, which is continuous with the umbilicus. There does not appear to be any particular difference between the nucleus and the early whorls, its loss would therefore seem to be due merely to its fragility. In none of those in which it remains is there any indication of its being reinforced by a shelly deposit. (Dall) The species are all deep-sea dwellers, living mostly at depths of 180 m or greater


Species

Species within the genus ''Gaza'' include: * '' Gaza compta'' Simone & Cunha, 2006 * '' Gaza cubana'' Clench & Aguayo, 1940 * ''
Gaza daedala ''Gaza daedala'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Margaritidae.Rosenberg, G. (2012). ''Gaza daedala'' Watson, 1879. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.ph ...
'' Watson, 1879 * '' Gaza fischeri'' Dall, 1889 * '' Gaza olivacea'' Quinn, 1991 * ''
Gaza polychoronos ''Gaza polychoronos'' is a species of sea snail, a marine (ocean), marine gastropod mollusk in the family (biology), family Margaritidae.Bouchet, P. (2012). ''Gaza polychoronos'' Vilvens, 2012. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species ...
'' Vilvens, 2012 * ''
Gaza rathbuni ''Gaza rathbuni'', common name Rathbun's gaza, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Margaritidae.Bouchet, P. (2012). ''Gaza rathbuni''. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespe ...
'' Dall, 1890 * '' Gaza superba'' (Dall, 1881) Synonyms: * ''Gaza frederici'' E. A. Smith, 1906: synonym of ''
Callogaza frederici ''Callogaza frederici'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Margaritidae.Rosenberg, G. (2012). ''Callogaza frederici''. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.p ...
'' (E. A. Smith, 1906) * ''Gaza sericata'' Kira, 1959: synonym of ''
Callogaza sericata ''Callogaza sericata'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Margaritidae.Rosenberg, G. (2012). ''Callogaza sericata'' (Kira, 1959). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies. ...
'' (Kira, 1959) * ''Gaza watsoni'' (Dall, 1881): synonym of ''
Callogaza watsoni ''Callogaza watsoni'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Margaritidae. Description The slightly nacreous shell reaches a length of 15 mm. It contains 6¼ whorls having the same general form as in '' Ga ...
'' Dall, 1881


References


Luiz Ricardo L. Simone & Carlo M. Cunha, ''Revision of genera Gaza and Callogaza (Vetigastropoda, Trochidae), with description of a new Brazilian species''; Zootaxa1318: 1–40 (2006)


External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3229367 Margaritidae