''Nerita peloronta'',
common name
In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often contrast ...
the "bleeding tooth", 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
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 ...
mollusc
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 esti ...
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 ...
Neritidae
Neritidae, common name the nerites, is a taxonomic family of small to medium-sized saltwater and freshwater snails which have a gill and a distinctive operculum.
MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Neritininae Poey, 1852. Accessed through: ...
.
Description
The shell of this species is large compared with many other Nerite species, reaching lengths of 2 inches. The shell is thick and short
spired. Its surface can have slightly raised spiral ridges. The dark red
operculum is granulated on its inner side. The color of the shell is yellow, reddish, or creamy, with darker streaks or zigzags. Although many nerites have "teeth" on the columellar edge, this species is notable for the fact that it has an area of red coloration next to the "teeth", hence the common name "Bleeding Tooth".
Distribution
Intertidal splash zones on hard rocky shorelines facing regular wave action. West Indies, West Florida, Bermuda, and the Caribbean.
References
* Récluz, C. 1850. ''Notice sur le genre Nérita et sur le S.-G. Neritina, avec le catalogue synonymique des Néritines''. Journal de Conchyliologie 1: 131–164, 282–288, pls. 3, 7.
External links
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Neritidae
Gastropods described in 1758
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus
{{Neritidae-stub