Trochus Kochii
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''Trochus kochii'' 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 Trochidae, the top snails.Bouchet, P. (2014). Trochus kochii Philippi, 1844. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=512972 on 2014-06-16


Description

The height of the shell attains 32 mm, its diameter 38 mm. The broad, rather solid shell has a conical shape. The spire is conic. The apex is generally eroded, corneous (orange colored). There are about 7
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 flo ...
s, which are slightly convex. The shells are whitish, painted with oblique flexuose (angular brownish-green) radiating stripes. Nearly the whole surface can be suffused with bright green by the erosion of the outer layer. The sculpture consists of inconspicuous incremental striae and very oblique subobsolete folds. The flat base of the shell is very obsoletely lirate. Its middle portion (umbilical tract) is excavated, concave, strongly spirally grooved. The sculpture does not extend into the aperture nor to the edge of the columella, which is nacreous. The large aperture is very oblique, very iridescent and neither lirate nor toothed within. The basal lips and columella are simple, forming a regular curve. The columella shows a strong dentiform fold above. The green parietal wall is eroded and, nearly smooth.


Distribution

This marine species occurs off South Africa.


References

* Marshall B.A. (2000) ''Systematics of the genus Infundibulum Montfort, 1810 (Gastropoda: Trochidae)''. The Nautilus 114(4):149-15


External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q6031643 kochii Gastropods described in 1844