''Leucosyrinx eremita'' 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 ...

Pseudomelatomidae Pseudomelatomidae is a family of predatory sea snails, marine gastropods included in the superfamily Conoidea (previously Conacea) and part of the Neogastropoda ( Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005). In 1995 Kantor elevated the subfamily Pseudomelatomina ...

, the turrids and allies.MolluscaBase (2018). Leucosyrinx eremita (Murdoch & Suter, 1906). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=599034 on 2018-11-19

Description

The length of the shell attains 5.8 mm, its diameter 2.42 mm. (Original description) The small, fusiform, fragile shell shows shouldered

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 body whorl is slightly shorter than the

spire A spire is a tall, slender, pointed structure on top of a roof of a building or tower, especially at the summit of church steeples. A spire may have a square, circular, or polygonal plan, with a roughly conical or pyramidal shape. Spires a ...

and ends in a rather short open siphonal canal. The

sculpture Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable ...

consists of longitudinal and spiral threads and riblets, the former inclined slightly backward. They number about fifteen on the penultimate whorl and are obsolete above the angle, absent upon the greater part of the body whorl. The spirals consist of five minute threads on the slope above the angle. Beneath the latter there are four much stronger riblets, forming gemmules at the intersections of the longitudinals. The body whorl contains about twenty-three spirals, those upon the base and neck more widely spaced, but equally slender as those on the shoulder. The colour of the shell is light-cream. The spire is turriculate-conical, with a blunt

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, ...

. The protoconch is slightly bulbose, with about two smooth whorls, nucleus globular. The shell contains 5 whorls, angled at the periphery, straight above, slightly convex below. The base is convex, then contracted and ending in a short distally rounded beak. The suture is deep. The

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 pyriform, broadly angled above, ending in a rather short almost straight siphonal canal, slightly turned to the left. The outer

lip The lips are the visible body part at the mouth of many animals, including humans. Lips are soft, movable, and serve as the opening for food intake and in the articulation of sound and speech. Human lips are a tactile sensory organ, and can be ...

is imperfect, convex above, contracted near the base. It is evident from the growth lines that the sinus is broad, rounded, and moderately deep, extending almost from the suture to the keel. The inner lip forms a thin and narrow callosity on the almost straight

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 ...

, which is slightly twisted at the base.R Murdoch, H Suter ''Results of dredging on the continental shelf of New Zealand''. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 38, 278-305, 1906
/ref>

Distribution

This marine species occurs off North Island and 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 else ...

to New Zealand

References

* Marshall, B.A. 1996: ''Molluscan name-bearing types in the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa''. Tuhinga: Records of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa 9: 1-85 page(s): 28 * Spencer, H.G., Marshall, B.A. & Willan, R.C. (2009). ''Checklist of New Zealand living Mollusca''. pp 196–219. in: Gordon, D.P. (ed.) New Zealand inventory of biodiversity. Volume one. Kingdom Animalia: Radiata, Lophotrochozoa, Deuterostomia. Canterbury University Press, Christchurch

External links

*
Spencer H.G., Willan R.C., Marshall B.A. & Murray T.J. (2011). Checklist of the Recent Mollusca Recorded from the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leucosyrinx Eremita

eremita ''Eremita'' is the fourth studio solo album by former Emperor frontman Ihsahn. The album features guest appearances by several notable musicians, including Devin Townsend and Jeff Loomis of Nevermore. Background The album is Ihsahn's first sol ...

Gastropods described in 1906 Gastropods of New Zealand