''Nepotilla mimica'' is a
species 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 ...
, 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 in the
family Raphitomidae
Raphitomidae is a family of small to medium-sized sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Conoidea.Bouchet P. & Rocroi J.-P. (Ed.) (2005). "Classification and nomenclator of gastropod families". '' Malacologia'' 47(1-2). . 3 ...
.
;Variety: ''Nepotilla mimica fusca''
(Sowerby III, 1896) : a dark brown variety.
Description
The length of the shell attains 7 mm, its diameter 2.5 mm.
This little, white, turreted shell bears rather a curious resemblance to the ''Daphnella (Teres)'' (synonym of ''
Teretia teres''
(Reeve, 1844) ). The spire is elongate and very sharp. The shell contains 6 convex, rounded
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. These are slightly concave at the top. The sculpture consists of conspicuous lirae, alternated with smaller lirae, sculptedc lengthwise by minute, oblique lamellae. 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 ...
is rather short, contracted at the base and slightly rostrate. The
columella is slightly twisted. The
aperture is ovate. The outer
lip is sharp and arcuate. The sinus is deep and not very wide.
The author has only seen three specimens, the type here described being the largest. The two smaller ones are shorter in proportion, and not so concave at the top of the whorls.
Sowerby III, G. B. (1896). ''List of the Pleurotomidae of South Australia, with descriptions of some new species.'' Proceedings of the Malacological Society of London. 2(1): 24-32, pl. 3
Distribution
This marine species is
endemic to Australia and occurs off
Victoria,
South Australia and
Tasmania
References
* Verco, J.C. 1909. Notes on South Australian marine Mollusca with descriptions of new species. Part XII. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 33: 293–342
* May, W.L. 1923. An illustrated index of Tasmanian shells: with 47 plates and 1052 species. Hobart : Government Printer 100 pp.
* Powell, A.W.B. 1966. The molluscan families Speightiidae and Turridae, an evaluation of the valid taxa, both Recent and fossil, with list of characteristic species. Bulletin of the Auckland Institute and Museum. Auckland, New Zealand 5: 1–184, pls 1–23
External links
Hedley, C. 1922. A revision of the Australian Turridae. Records of the Australian Museum 13(6): 213-359, pls 42-56
*
Grove, S.J. (2018). A Guide to the Seashells and other Marine Molluscs of Tasmania: ''Nepotilla mimica''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nepotilla Mimica
mimica
Gastropods described in 1896
Gastropods of Australia