Melo (gastropod)

Last updated

Melo
Melo melo 01 by Line1.JPG
A shell of the Indian volute, Melo melo surrounded by a group of pearls from that species
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Neogastropoda
Family: Volutidae
Tribe: Melonini
Genus: Melo
Broderip in Sowerby I, 1826 [1]

Melo is a genus of extremely large sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Volutidae, the volutes. Because of their huge ovate shells, these snails are often known as "bailers" (the shells were sometimes used for bailing out canoes) or "melons" (because the shell resembles that fruit).

Contents

Species in this genus sometimes produce large pearls. The image in the taxobox shows a group of these pearls with a shell of the species Melo melo .

Description

The large shell is subovate and ventricose. The spire is short. The apex is obtuse, papillary, persistent. The whorls are smooth. The body whorl is posteriorly coronated. The aperture is oblong and wide. The columella shows several oblique plaits, the anterior the largest. The outer lip is simple, acute and obliquely truncate in front. [2]

Species

The following species are recognised in the genus Melo: [3]

Video of a live individual of Melo amphora crawling at low tide
A live individual of what is probably Melo umbilicatus Melo amphora S01 1.jpg
A live individual of what is probably Melo umbilicatus
A shell of Melo aethiopica Melo aethiopica.jpg
A shell of Melo aethiopica
A shell of Melo melo Melo melo.jpg
A shell of Melo melo
A juvenile shell of what is probably Melo amphora Melo umbilicatus.jpg
A juvenile shell of what is probably Melo amphora

Ecology

Parasites of Melo sp. include trematode Lophotaspis macdonaldi . [4]

Related Research Articles

<i>Murex</i> Genus of gastropods

Murex is a genus of medium to large sized predatory tropical sea snails. These are carnivorous marine gastropod molluscs in the family Muricidae, commonly called "murexes" or "rock snails".

<i>Bulla</i> (gastropod) Genus of gastropods

Bulla is a genus of medium to large hermaphrodite sea snails, shelled marine opisthobranch gastropod molluscs. These herbivorous snails are in the suborder Cephalaspidea, headshield slugs, and the order Opisthobranchia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volutidae</span> Family of sea snails

Volutidae, common name volutes, are a taxonomic family of predatory sea snails that range in size from 9 mm to over 500 mm. They are marine gastropod mollusks. Most of the species have no operculum.

<i>Littoraria</i> Genus of gastropods

Littoraria is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Littorinidae, the winkles or periwinkles.

<i>Amoria</i> (gastropod) Genus of sea snails

Amoria is a taxonomic genus of medium-sized predatory marine gastropod in the family Volutidae.

<i>Polinices</i> Genus of gastropods

Polinices is a genus of predatory sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the subfamily Polinicinae of the family Naticidae, commonly known as moon snails.

<i>Turbinella</i> Genus of gastropods


Turbinella is a genus of very large sea snails with an operculum, marine gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Turbinellinae of the family Turbinellidae.

<i>Scaphella</i> Genus of gastropods

Scaphella is a genus of large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Volutidae, the volutes.

<i>Pleuroploca</i> Genus of gastropods

Pleuroploca is a genus of very large predatory sea snails with an operculum, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Fasciolariidae, which includes the spindle shells, the tulip shells and other allied genera.

<i>Cymbiola</i> Genus of gastropods

Cymbiola is a genus of large predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Volutidae, the volutes.

<i>Voluta</i> Genus of gastropods

Voluta is a genus of medium to large sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Volutidae, the volutes.

<i>Cyllene</i> (gastropod) Genus of sea snails

Cyllene is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Nassariidae, the nassa mud snails or dog whelks.

<i>Amoria turneri</i> Species of sea snail

Amoria turneri, common name Turner's volute, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Volutidae, the volutes.

<i>Livonia mammilla</i> Species of gastropod

Livonia mammilla, common name false melon or false baler, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk of the genus Livonia in the family Volutidae, the volutes.

<i>Melo broderipii</i> Species of gastropod

Melo broderipii is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Volutidae, the volutes.

<i>Adelomelon</i> Genus of gastropods

Adelomelon is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Volutidae.

<i>Cymbium</i> (gastropod) Genus of gastropods

Cymbium is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Volutidae.

<i>Lyria</i> (gastropod) Genus of gastropods

Lyria is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Volutidae.

<i>Calyptraea</i> Genus of gastropods

Calyptraea, commonly known as the Chinese hat snails is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Calyptraeidae, a family which contains the slipper snails or slipper limpets, cup-and-saucer snails, and Chinese hat snails.

<i>Nebularia</i> Genus of gastropods

Nebularia is a genus of predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Cylindromitrinae within the family of Mitridae. This name was originally proposed as a subgenus of the genus Mitra. The type species of this genus is Mitra contractaSwainson, 1820.

References

  1. Broderip W. (1826). In: Sowerby, Gen. Shells, (28).
  2. Adams, H. & Adams, A. (1853-1858). The genera of Recent Mollusca; arranged according to their organization. London, van Voorst. Vol. 1: xl + 484 pp.; vol. 2: 661 pp.; vol. 3: 138 pls
  3. "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Melo Broderip, 1826". www.marinespecies.org. Retrieved 2023-07-09.
  4. Alevs, Philippe V.; Vieira, Fabiano M.; Santos, Cláudia P.; Scholz, Tomáš; Luque, José L. (2015-02-12). "A Checklist of the Aspidogastrea (Platyhelminthes: Trematoda) of the World". Zootaxa. 3918 (3): 339–96. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3918.3.2. ISSN   1175-5334. PMID   25781098.