''Raphitoma nivea'' 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). . 39 ...

Description

This species has a broad twisted apex of two

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. It resembles ''Raphitoma echinata'' (Brocchi, 1814) (synonym of ''Raphitoma reticulata'' Renier, 1804) in size, sculpture, and outlines, but ''R. echinata'' has a slender and acute apex of four whorls.

Distribution

This marine species occurs off Algeria.

References

* Gofas, S.; Le Renard, J.; Bouchet, P. (2001). Mollusca. in: Costello, M.J. et al. (eds), European Register of Marine Species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Patrimoines Naturels. 50: 180-213.

External links

Sykes E. R. 1906. ''On the Mollusca procured during the "Porcupine" Expeditions 1869-1870. Supplemental notes, part III.'' Proceedings of the Malacological Society of London 7: 173-190, pl. 16
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Raphitoma Nivea nivea Gastropods described in 1875