''Morula echinata'', common name the prickled-armed ricinula, 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 ...
Muricidae
Muricidae is a large and varied taxonomic family of small to large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks, commonly known as murex snails or rock snails. With about 1,600 living species, the Muricidae represent almost 10% of the Neoga ...
, the murex snails or rock snails.
Description
The length of the shell varies between 7 mm and 10 mm.
Distribution
This marine species occurs in the tropical Indo-West Pacific; also off
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
and Australia (
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
, establishe ...
).
References
* Reeve, L.A. 1846. ''Monograph of the genus Ricinula''. pls 1–6 in Reeve, L.A. (ed). Conchologia Iconica. London : L. Reeve & Co. Vol. 3.
Plate 6(fig. 54) an
unnumbered page* Pease, W.H. 1860. ''Descriptions of new species of Mollusca from the Sandwich Islands, Part II''. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 28: 141-148
* Cernohorsky, W.O. 1969. ''The Muricidae of Fiji. Part 2. Subfamily Thaidinae''. Veliger 11(4): 293-315
* Cernohorsky, W.O. 1978. ''Tropical Pacific Marine Shells.'' Sydney : Pacific Publications 352 pp., 68 pls.
* Wilson, B. 1994. ''Australian Marine Shells. Prosobranch Gastropods''. Kallaroo, WA : Odyssey Publishing Vol. 2 370 pp.
* Houart, R. 2002. ''Comments on a group of small Morula s.s. species (Gastropoda: Muricidae: Rapaninae) from the Indo-Pacific with the description of two new species''. Novapex 3(4): 97-118
External links
*
echinata
Gastropods described in 1846
{{Ergalataxinae-stub