''Phasianotrochus'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

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 ...

s. They are

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 ...

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 ...

s 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 ...

Trochidae The Trochidae, common name top-snails or top-shells, are a family of various sized sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the subclass Vetigastropoda. This family is commonly known as the top-snails because in many species the shell resembles ...

, the top snails.Bouchet, P. (2012). Phasianotrochus P. Fischer, 1885. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=512284 on 2012-12-01

Description

The elongated, ovate-pointed shell is thick, solid, polished. The ovate

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 longer than broad. The

columella Lucius Junius Moderatus Columella (; Arabic: , 4 – ) was a prominent writer on agriculture in the Roman Empire. His ' in twelve volumes has been completely preserved and forms an important source on Roman agriculture, together with the wo ...

is arcuate, bearing usually a tooth-like projection in the middle.

Distribution

These marine snails are endemic to

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

and can be found off the coast of

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

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 ...

and

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

Species

According to the Indo-Pacific Molluscan Database, the following species with names in current use are included within the genus ''Phasianotrochus''OBIS : Phasianotrochus
/ref> * '' Phasianotrochus apicinus'' (Menke, 1843) * '' Phasianotrochus bellulus'' (Philippi, 1845) * ''

Phasianotrochus eximius ''Phasianotrochus eximius'', common name the kelp shell or true kelp, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Trochidae, the top snails.Bouchet, P. (2012). ''Phasianotrochus eximius'' (Perry, 1811). Accessed through: ...

'' (Perry, 1811) * '' Phasianotrochus hirasei'' (Pilsbry, 1901) * '' Phasianotrochus irisodontes'' (Quoy & Gaimard, 1834) * ''

Phasianotrochus rutilus ''Phasianotrochus rutilus'', common name the pink-tipped kelp shell, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Trochidae, the top snails.Bouchet, P. (2012). ''Phasianotrochus rutilus'' (A. Adams, 1851). Accessed throu ...

'' (Adams, 1853) * '' Phasianotrochus sericinus'' (Thiele, 1930)

References

* Cotton, B.C., 1959.'' South Australian Mollusca. Archaeogastropoda'' (page 104), South Australian Government Printer, Adelaide. * Iredale, T. & McMichael, D.F., 1962, ''A reference list of the marine Mollusca of New South Wales''. Mem. Aust. Mus., 11:0-0 * Ludbrook, N.H., 1956, ''The molluscan fauna of the Pliocene strata underlying the Adelaide Plains''. Part III � Scaphopoda, Polyplacophora, Gastropoda (Haliotidae to Tornidae), Trans. R. Soc. SA, 79:0-0

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q7181014 Trochidae Gastropods of Australia Gastropod genera