Architectonica perspectiva

Architectonica perspectiva
Architectonica perspectiva
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Family:	Architectonicidae
Genus:	Architectonica
Species:	A. perspectiva
Binomial name
Architectonica perspectiva (Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms [1]
Architectonica perspectiva fressaIredale, 1936 junior subjective synonym Solarium (Architectonica) hanleyiG. B. Sowerby II, 1863 Solarium (Architectonica) trisulcatumJousseaume, 1877 Solarium australeR. A. Philippi, 1849 Solarium cumingiiHanley, 1862 Solarium formosumHinds, 1844 Solarium fuliginosumHinds, 1845 Solarium hanleyiG. B. Sowerby II, 1863 Solarium incisumR. A. Philippi, 1849 junior subjective synonym Solarium maculatumReeve, 1848 Solarium perspectivum(Linnaeus, 1758) Solarium perspectivum var. heurniC. Bayer, 1940 junior subjective synonym Solarium striatumJ. E. Gray, 1850 junior subjective synonym Solarium trisulcatumJousseaume, 1877 Solarium zonatumR. A. Philippi, 1849 junior subjective synonym Trochus perspectivusLinnaeus, 1758 (original combination)

Architectonica perspectiva, whose common name is the clear or perspective sundial shell, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Architectonicidae, which are known as the staircase shells or sundials. ^[2]

Subspecies and variety

• Architectonica perspectiva fressaIredale, 1936: synonym of Architectonica perspectiva(Linnaeus, 1758) (junior subjective synonym)
• Architectonica perspectiva var. modesta(R. A. Philippi, 1849): synonym of Architectonica modesta (R. A. Philippi, 1849) (superseded rank)

Description

(Original description of Solarium fuliginosum in Latin) The shell is orbiculato-conical, in other words it is essentially a low, depressed cone with a rounded base. The shell is smooth, and adorned with soot-brown coloration. The lower whorls are smooth and somewhat swollen, while the upper whorls are longitudinally folded (plicate). The median area is pale and is painted with broad, oblique brown stripes. It is keeled at the periphery. Above the keel, there is a narrow, flattened area articulated with quadrate brown spots. The base is slightly swollen, pale, and smooth. The aperture is quadrate. The umbilicus is wide-open and is furnished with straight brown crenations. ^[3]

The snails have a shell 5 to 7 centimeters in diameter. The cone-like shell coils up from a flat base. The spirals are composed of vibrant shades of black, white, and brown. The body and its tentacles are striped as well to match the shell. Its operculum is made of a horn-like material. ^[4]

A shell of Architectonica perspectiva.

Distribution

The snail is common in Indo-Pacific Asia and around India. The snail often lives among coral reefs, and enjoys sandy seafloors. ^[5]

Museum specimens. Naturalis

Live individual

References

1. "World Register of Marine Species". 2009. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
2. Architectonica perspectiva (Linnaeus, 1758) . 11 November 2025. Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species .
3. Hinds, R.B. (1845). "Description of a new species of Solarium, from the collection of Mr. Cuming". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. 1844 (12): 158. Retrieved 11 November 2025. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
4. "Clear sundial snails (Architectonica perspectiva) on the Shores of Singapore". www.wildsingapore.com. October 2016. Archived from the original on 7 February 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
5. "Architectonica perspectiva". Marine Biodiversity – Informatics for Kerala. Archived from the original on 7 February 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2019.

External links

• "Architectonica perspectiva". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 16 January 2019.