Euspira heros

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Euspira heros
FMIB 51165 Lunatia heros.jpeg
Shell drawing by George Brown Goode
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Littorinimorpha
Family: Naticidae
Genus: Euspira
Species:
E. heros
Binomial name
Euspira heros
(Say, 1822)
Synonyms [1]
  • Lunatia heros [2]
  • Natica ampullariaLamarck, 1822
  • Natica herosSay, 1822 (basionym) [3]
  • Natica pomumPhilippi, 1851
  • Polinices heros(Say, 1822)

Euspira heros, the northern moon snail, is a species of large sea snail in the family Naticidae. [1] This large snail is rather uncommon intertidally, but is much more common subtidally. This species, like all moon snails, feeds voraciously on clams and other snails.

Contents

Description

The shell of this species is globular and can, under the right conditions, grow up to 125 mm (4.9 in) long.

The operculum is large, ear-shaped in outline, and is corneous and somewhat transparent. On beaches where the shell of this species washed up commonly, the operculum will usually also be found washed up in the drift line.

Distribution

The distribution of Euspira heros falls within the range: 51.5°N to 33°N; 76°W to 65°W. [1] This western Atlantic species occurs in:

There is a sibling species on the Pacific coast of North America: Neverita lewisii .

Habitat

Euspira heros lives on sand substrates in infralittoral, and circalittoral parts and estuary. [1]

It has been found at the surface to depths up to 435 m (1,427 ft) [4]

Predation

Empty shells of clams and snails, including other moon snails, display evidence of predation by a moon snail when they are seen to have a neat "countersunk" hole drilled in them.

The powerful foot enables this gastropod to plow under the sand in search of other mollusks. Upon finding one, it "drills" a hole into the shell with its radula, releases digestive enzymes, and sucks out the somewhat predigested contents. [5]

Related Research Articles

Naticidae Family of gastropods

Naticidae, common name moon snails or necklace shells, is a family of minute to large-sized predatory sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Littorinimorpha. The shells of the species in this family are mostly globular in shape.

<i>Neverita lewisii</i> Species of mollusc

Neverita lewisii, common name Lewis's moon snail, is a species of large operculated sea snail. It is a predatory marine gastropod in the family Naticidae, the moon snails. Traditionally, this species was assigned to either the genus Lunatia, the genus Polinices or the genus Euspira. Recently, it was assigned to the genus Neverita based on molecular data.

<i>Euspira catena</i> Species of gastropod

Euspira catena, previously known as Natica catena, common name the large necklace shell, is a medium-sized species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Naticidae, the moon snails.

<i>Curtitoma violacea</i> Species of gastropod

Curtitoma violacea is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Mangeliidae.

<i>Oenopota pyramidalis</i> Species of gastropod

Oenopota pyramidalis, common name the pyramid lora, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Mangeliidae.

<i>Propebela turricula</i> Species of gastropod

Propebela turricula, common name the turreted conelet, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Mangeliidae.

<i>Admete viridula</i> Species of sea snail

Admete viridula is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cancellariidae, the nutmeg snails.

<i>Testudinalia testudinalis</i> Species of gastropod

Testudinalia testudinalis, common name the common tortoise limpet, is a species of sea snail, a true limpet, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Lottiidae, one of the families of true limpets. It is commonly known as the plant limpet or tortoiseshell limpet.

<i>Boreotrophon clathratus</i> Species of gastropod

Boreotrophon clathratus, common name the clathrate trophon, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.

<i>Ariadnaria borealis</i> Species of gastropod

Ariadnaria borealis, common name the boreal hairysnail, is a species of small sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Capulidae, the cap snails.

Trichotropis conica is a species of small sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Capulidae, the cap snails.

Euspira levicula is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Naticidae, the moon snails.

<i>Euspira macilenta</i> Species of gastropod

Euspira macilenta is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Naticidae, the moon snails.

Euspira triseriata, common name the spotted moonsnail, is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Naticidae, the moon snails.

Euspira pallida is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Naticidae, the moon snails.

Pseudopolinices nanus is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Naticidae, the moon snails.

<i>Ecrobia truncata</i> Species of gastropod

Ecrobia truncata, common name the truncated marsh hydrobia or minute hydrobia, is a species of very small aquatic snail, an operculate gastropod mollusk in the family Hydrobiidae.

<i>Menestho albula</i> Species of gastropod

Menestho albula is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Pyramidellidae, the pyrams and their allies.

Turbonilla bushiana is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Pyramidellidae, the pyrams and their allies.

Turbonilla nivea is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Pyramidellidae, the pyrams and their allies.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Gofas, S.; Bouchet, P.; Rosenberg, G. (2015). Euspira heros (Say, 1822). In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=160315 on 2015-06-21
  2. ↑ "ITIS classification". ITIS.gov.
  3. ↑ Gould A. A. (1841). Report on the Invertebrata of Massachusetts, comprising the Mollusca, Crustacea, Annelida, and Radiata. Published agreeably to an order of the legislature, by the commissioners on the Zoological and Botanical Survey of the state. pp. i–xiii [=1–13], 1–373, pl. [1–15]. Cambridge. (Forsom, Wells & Thurston). 231-232. figure 163.
  4. ↑ Welch J. J. (2010). "The "Island Rule" and Deep-Sea Gastropods: Re-Examining the Evidence". PLoS ONE 5(1): e8776. doi : 10.1371/journal.pone.0008776.
  5. ↑ Andrew J. Martinez (2003). Marine Life of the North Atlantic: Canada to New England. Aqua Quest Publications. ISBN   9781881652328 . Retrieved 2007-02-17.
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