''Xenophora peroniana'' is a species of large
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
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* Marine life
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* ...
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 ...
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 ...
Xenophoridae
Xenophoridae, commonly called carrier shells, is a family of medium-sized to large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the clade Littorinimorpha.
According to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi (2005) the family Xenophor ...
, the carrier shells.
Description
One reported specimen from
New South Wales
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, 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 ...
had 41.1 mm of height and 54.1 mm of diameter.
The shell is moderately elevated. The umbilicus is closed in adults, but narrowly open in juveniles. A row of foreign objects is very prominent, obscuring more than half of the dorsal surface. The base is slightly concave to almost flat, sculptured with fine, irregular, subspiral striae which run at almost right angles. The aperture lower lip is somewhat thickened in mature specimens, often with a distinct internal thickening in middle of lip and usually with a weakly sinuate edge. Color-wise, it is yellowish-white dorsally, with base yellowish-white and collabral lines of chocolate brown. The
callus
A callus is an area of thickened and sometimes hardened skin that forms as a response to repeated friction, pressure, or other irritation. Since repeated contact is required, calluses are most often found on the feet and hands, but they may o ...
is white. 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 white but with a brown blotch around umbilical region in many specimens.
Subspecies
* ''Xenophora peroniana peroniana''
(Iredale, 1929), whose base is slightly to moderately concave, usually with brown radial markings. It is found in eastern Australia.
* ''Xenophora peroniana kondoi''
(Ponder, 1983), whose base is strongly concave, usually uniformly yellowish-white. It is found on the Hawaiian Islands.
References
Xenophoridae
Gastropods described in 1929
{{Xenophoridae-stub