''Minolops arata'' 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 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 ...

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 ...

Solariellidae Solariellidae 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).Gofas, S. (2011). Solariellidae. Accessed through: World Register of ...

.Bouchet, P. (2013). Minolops arata (Hedley, 1903). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=744757 on 2013-12-01

Description

The height of the shell attains 7 mm, its diameter 9.5 mm. The widely unibilicate, rather thin shell has a turbinate shape. Its colour is pale yellow, with purple disposed in dots on the shoulder and stripes on the base. The five

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 are tabulate above, angled at the shoulder, thence rounded, last in slight contact with its predecessor. The sutures are impressed.

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 sc ...

: the flat sutural shelf of the upper whorls is ornamented by fine regular radial riblets. Obliquely descending the slope, these riblets crenulate the upper spirals and gradually vanish on 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 ...

into faint irregularly spaced growth lines. On the upper whorls are five spiral cords, between which are smaller threads, in their turn separating still finer lines. The body whorl is encircled by ten strong keels whose interstices are occupied by small and smaller threads as before. 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 elevated and consists of two small and glossy whorls. The umbilicus is wide and deep, penetrated by five elevated spiral ridges beaded by longitudinal sculpture. 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 opt ...

is circular, slightly oblique. The

peristome Peristome (from the Greek ''peri'', meaning 'around' or 'about', and ''stoma'', 'mouth') is an anatomical feature that surrounds an opening to an organ or structure. Some plants, fungi, and shelled gastropods have peristomes. In mosses In mosses, ...

is entire, simple, and sharp, within brilliantly nacreous, nacre edged with a thin brown and a broader yellow non-nacreous margin. Hedley, C. 1903. Scientific results of the trawling expedition of H.M.C.S. "Thetis" off the coast of New South Wales in February and March, 1898, pt. 6. Memoirs of the Australian Museum 4(1): 326-402
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Distribution

This marine species is endemic to Australia and occurs from

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

References

* Iredale, T. (1929). ''Mollusca from the continental shelf of eastern Australia''. Records of the Australian Museum. 17 (4): 157-189, pls 38-41 * Iredale, T. & McMichael, D.F. (1962). ''A reference list of the marine Mollusca of New South Wales''. Memoirs of the Australian Museum. 11 : 1-109 * Wilson, B. (1993). ''Australian Marine Shells. Prosobranch Gastropods''. Kallaroo, WA : Odyssey Publishing. Vol.1 1st Edn pp. 1�408.

External links

To World Register of Marine Species
* arata Gastropods of Australia Gastropods described in 1903 {{Solariellidae-stub