''Pseudodaphnella attenuata'' 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 ...

Description

The length of the shell attains 11 mm , its diameter 4 mm. (Original description) The lanceolate shell is rather solid and tall. Its colour is uniform yellow. There are seven

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 remaining. Sculpture:—Large deep meshes are formed on the body of the shell by the intersection of the main sculpture. The ribs are nine on the penultimate and eleven on 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 ...

. They are elevated, perpendicular, alternating from whorl to whorl, twice their breadth apart, vanishing on the base and below the suture. The spirals are sharp, elevated cords, thirteen on the body whorl, three on the penultimate, overriding the ribs. On the snout the ribs only survive as nodules. Along the fasciole area the spirals are entirely different, being three or four closely packed threads. The aperture is wide . The varix is taller and broader than the ribs. There are seven small denticules within the outer lip. The sinus is small and semicircular. The

siphonal canal The siphonal canal is an anatomical feature of the shells of certain groups of sea snails within the clade Neogastropoda. Some sea marine gastropods have a soft tubular anterior extension of the mantle called a siphon through which water is ...

is short and wide. Hedley, C. 1922. A revision of the Australian Turridae. Records of the Australian Museum 13(6): 213-359, pls 42-56

Distribution

This marine species is endemic to Australia and occurs off Queensland

References

* 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

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Pseudodaphnella Attenuata

attenuata ''Attenuata'' is a genus of minute sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks or micromollusks in the family Lironobidae. Species There are 21 species within the genus ''Attenuata'', including: * † '' Attenuata admiranda'' Richardson, 1997 * '' A ...

Gastropods described in 1922 Gastropods of Australia