''Zemiropsis papillaris'', common name : the spotted , 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 ...
of
sea snail, a marine
gastropod 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 group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
Babyloniidae
Babyloniidae is a taxonomic family of predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks unassigned within the superfamily Neogastropoda. MolluscaBase eds. (2020). MolluscaBase. Babyloniidae Kuroda, Habe & Oyama, 1971. Accessed through: World R ...
.
Description
The spotted babylon has a plump shell, which varies in size between 33 mm and 50 mm. The shell has a smooth surface and is white with reddish-brown spots in an indistinct lattice pattern. The foot is spotted with vivid red.
[Kilburn R. & Rippey E. 1982. ''Sea Shells of Southern Africa'' Macmillan ]
Distribution
This species is only found off the South African coast from False Bay to the eastern
Transkei
Transkei (, meaning ''the area beyond he riverKei''), officially the Republic of Transkei ( xh, iRiphabliki yeTranskei), was an unrecognised state in the southeastern region of South Africa from 1976 to 1994. It was, along with Ciskei, a Ba ...
in 15-65m under water. It is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...
to this area.
References
* Dekker (2008). Gloria Maris 46 (4–5) : 106–112
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zemiropsis Papillaris
Babyloniidae
Gastropods described in 1825