| Euspira nitida | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Apertural and abapertural view of the shell of Euspira nitida. | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
| Order: | Littorinimorpha |
| Family: | Naticidae |
| Genus: | Euspira |
| Species: | E. nitida |
| Binomial name | |
| Euspira nitida (Donovan, 1804) | |
| Synonyms | |
See list | |
Euspira nitida, the common necklace shell, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Naticidae, the moon snails. [1]
The common necklace shell is a common sea snail occurring in the sublittoral zone and deeper waters (exceptionally up to 2,000 m) along sandy coasts of the North Sea, from France to Norway, and the North East Atlantic (Iceland). It is also common in the Mediterranean Sea. It can be frequently found in great numbers washed ashore on beaches. It has been present in the North Sea since the Pliocene.
The globular shell is rather small with a low spire : max. 16 mm high and 14 mm wide. The shell has a rather pointed apex. There are 5 to 6 gently convex whorls with an undeep suture. The body whorl is strongly rounded and covers almost the whole shell. The aperture is rather ovate and has a smooth outer lip. A siphonal canal is lacking. The umbilicus is partly covered with a callus. The horny operculum is composed of corneous material. The surface of the shell is smooth and shiny and lacks sculpture. Its color is a pale brown-yellow stained with orange to red-brown spots, arranged in four to five spiral lines. The shell of washed up specimens shows often a blue-black discoloration.
Euspira nitida(Donovan, 1804) is the earliest available name for the common, shallow water, small-sized Euspira species that, in the Atlantic, has been called alderi, and in the Mediterranean has been called pulchella. Donovan's name was based on albino specimens of this species, which is why the name nitida has in the past been wrongly rejected by some authors as that of an "exotic" or "tropical" species. [1]
There are many synonyms for this species [2]
Naticidae, common name moon snails or necklace shells, is a family of medium 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.
Polinices is a genus of predatory sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the subfamily Polinicinae of the family Naticidae, commonly known as moon snails.
Neverita is a genus of medium-sized to large sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the subfamily Polinicinae of the family Naticidae, the moon snails
Natica is a genus of small to medium-sized predatory sea snails, marine gastropods in the subfamily Naticinae of the family Naticidae, the moon snails. The genus was erected by Giovanni Antonio Scopoli in 1777.
Ocenebra erinaceus, common name the European sting winkle, is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex and rock snails. Also known as the Oyster Drill, it is a pest in Oyster beds.
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.
Doris is a genus of sea slugs, specifically dorid nudibranchs. These animals are marine gastropod molluscs in the family Dorididae.
Euspira is a genus of medium-sized sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the subfamily Polinicinae of the family Naticidae, the moon snails.
Conus ventricosus mediterraneus is a subspecies of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies.
Chauvetia is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Buccinidae, the true whelks.
Tritia cuvierii, common name the one-banded nassa, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Nassariidae, the Nassa mud snails or dog whelks.
Tritia nitida is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Nassariidae, the nassa mud snails or dog whelks.
Gibberula miliaria is a species of very small sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk or micromollusk in the family Cystiscidae.
Jujubinus striatus, common name the grooved top shell, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Trochidae, the top snails.
Euspira guilleminii is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Naticidae, the moon snails.
Mammilla melanostoma is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Naticidae, the moon snails.
Alvania discors is a species of minute sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk or micromollusk in the family Rissoidae.
