Heterocithara rigorata

Heterocithara rigorata
Original image of a shell of Heterocithara rigorata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Neogastropoda
Superfamily:	Conoidea
Family:	Mangeliidae
Genus:	Heterocithara
Species:	H. rigorata
Binomial name
Heterocithara rigorata (Hedley, 1909)
Synonyms [1]
Mangelia rigorataHedley, 1909 (original combination)

Heterocithara rigorata is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Mangeliidae. ^[1]

Description

The length of the shell attains 3.8 mm, its diameter 1.5 mm.

(Original description) The small, oblong shell is turreted and rather solid. Its colour is dull white. It contains 6 whorls, including a smooth three-whorled protoconch. whose initial whorl is eccentric. The sculpture shows from ten to twelve very prominent, close, radial ribs, widest apart on the back of the body whorl, and becoming closer on the earlier whorls. These ribs project on the summit of the whorl and fade gradually on the base. The body whorl is encircled by twelve to fourteen strong spiral cords, which override both ribs and interstices. On the penultimate whorl there are four such cords, and on the antepenultimate three. Between and parallel to the spiral cords are fine, close, microscopic hairlines. The aperture is narrow linear, with a deep sinus and a prominent varix

Some variation in contour occurs, some individuals being shorter and broader than others. The species is characterised by its straight, narrow form, gradate spire, and strongly modelled sculpture. ^{[2] [3]}

Distribution

This marine species is endemic to Australia and occurs off Queensland.

References

1. WoRMS (2009). Heterocithara rigorata (Hedley, 1909). In: MolluscaBase (2017). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=434005 on 2017-07-17
2. Ch. Hedley (1909), Mollusca from the Hope Islands, north Queensland; Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales v. 34 p. 458 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
3. Hedley, C. 1922. A revision of the Australian Turridae. Records of the Australian Museum 13(6): 213–359, pls 42-56 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

External links

• Tucker, J.K. 2004 Catalog of recent and fossil turrids (Mollusca: Gastropoda). Zootaxa 682:1–1295.