''Lyria michardi'' 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 ...

Volutidae, the volutes.

Description

Lyria michardi is a large species, reaching up to 50 mm in length. The shell is a glossy white with brown spiral bands. The aperture is large and oval. The spire is high and conical. The siphonal canal is long and slender. Lyria michardi is found in the Indo-Pacific region, from Madagascar to the Philippines. It is a deep-water species, living at depths of 100 to 500 m. The diet of Lyria michardi is not well known, but it is thought to eat other gastropods. It is a predatory snail, and uses its long siphonal canal to suck up its prey. Lyria michardi is a prized shell among collectors. It is a rare and beautiful species, and can fetch high prices. The shell is sometimes called the "Madagascar Volute" or the "Michardi Volute". The species was first described by Bail in 2009. The shell is thought to be threatened by overfishing. Lyria michardi is a hermaphroditic species, meaning that each individual snail has both male and female reproductive organs.

Distribution

This marine species occurs off Southern

Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...

References

* Bail P. (2009). A new species of Lyria (Gastropoda) from the southwestern coast of Madagascar. Novapex 10(2): 65-67 Volutidae Gastropods described in 2009 {{Volutidae-stub