''Polinices lacteus'' 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 ...

predatory Predation is a biological interaction where one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, its prey. It is one of a family of common feeding behaviours that includes parasitism and micropredation (which usually do not kill th ...

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 ...

Naticidae Naticidae, common name moon snails or necklace shells, is a family (biology), family of medium to large-sized predatory sea snails, marine (ocean), marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Littorinimorpha. The shells of the species in this family a ...

, the moon snails.

Distribution

Polinices lacteus specimens have been found throughout the southern Atlantic coastlines. This includes the Caribbean Sea, as well as the Canary Islands, the Angolan coast, and the Cape Verde island chain. The species has also been spotted on almost the entirety of the South American coast, plus the Gulf of Mexico.

Description

The maximum recorded

shell Shell may refer to: Architecture and design * Shell (structure), a thin structure ** Concrete shell, a thin shell of concrete, usually with no interior columns or exterior buttresses ** Thin-shell structure Science Biology * Seashell, a hard ou ...

length is 40 mm.Welch J. J. (2010). "The "Island Rule" and Deep-Sea Gastropods: Re-Examining the Evidence". '' PLoS ONE'' 5(1): e8776. .
Operculum is thin, horny, yellow or amber-red. (R.Tucker Abbott -1968- "Seashells of North America") Periostracum is thin, yellowish.

Habitat

The minimum recorded depth for this species is 0 m; maximum recorded depth is 120 m.

References

* Brooks S.T. 1933. Natica sancti-vincentii, sp. nov. Annals of the Carnegie Museum, 21: 413 * MEDIN. (2011). UK checklist of marine species derived from the applications Marine Recorder and UNICORN. version 1.0. * Rolán E., 2005. Malacological Fauna From The Cape Verde Archipelago. Part 1, Polyplacophora and Gastropoda. * Bernard, P.A. (Ed.) (1984). Coquillages du Gabon hells of Gabon Pierre A. Bernard: Libreville, Gabon. 140, 75 plates pp

External links

Philippi, R. A. (1849-1853). Die Gattungen Natica und Amaura. In Abbildungen nach der Natur mit Beschreibungen. In: Küster, H. C., Ed. Systematisches Conchylien-Cabinet von Martini und Chemnitz. Neu herausgegeben und vervollständigt. Zweiten Bandes erste Abtheilung. 2(1): 2 (1): 1-66, 65[a
66[a], 67-164, pls. A, 1-19. Nürnberg: Bauer & Raspe (publication dates: 1-18 [1849]; 19-26 [1850]; 67-120 [1851]; 27-66 [1852]; 121-164 ]
Orbigny, A. D. d'. (1839-1842). Mollusques, Echinodermes, Foraminifères et Polypiers recueillis aux Iles Canaries par MM. Webb et Berthelot et décrits par Alcide d'Orbigny. Mollusques. 117 p., pl. 1-7, 7B (p. 1-24 [Aug. 1839
25-48 [Sept. 1839], 49-72 [Oct-1839], 73-104 [Jan. 1840], 105-136 [Mar. 1840],137-143 [Apr. 1840], 145-152 [Aug. 1842] pl. 1 [Jul. 1836], 2 [Dec. 1836], 3 [May 1842], 4-5 [June 1840], 7 [May 1842], 6,7B [Aug. 1842]. Béthune, Paris ]
Rosenberg, G.; Moretzsohn, F.; García, E. F. (2009). Gastropoda (Mollusca) of the Gulf of Mexico, Pp. 579–699 in: Felder, D.L. and D.K. Camp (eds.), Gulf of Mexico–Origins, Waters, and Biota. Texas A&M Press, College Station, Texas
Naticidae Gastropods described in 1834 Molluscs of the Atlantic Ocean Molluscs of Angola Molluscs of Brazil Molluscs of the Canary Islands Gastropods of Cape Verde {{Naticidae-stub