Neverita lewisii

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Neverita lewisii
Euspira lewisii 3.jpg
Euspira lewisii 4.jpg
Scientific classification
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Neverita lewisii
Binomial name
Neverita lewisii
(Gould, 1847)
Synonyms [1]
  • Euspira lewisii(Gould, 1847)
  • Natica lewisiiGould, 1847 (basionym)
  • Lunatia lewisii(Gould, 1847)
  • Polinices lewisiiGould, 1847

Neverita lewisii (previously known as Polinices lewisii, Lunatia lewisii, Euspira 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. [1] 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. [1] [2]

Contents

This is the largest species in the family.

Distribution

Neverita lewisii lives in the Eastern Pacific, from British Columbia to northern Baja California, Mexico.

Lunatia lewisii is digging into the mud to protect itself. Euspira lewisii 2.jpg
Lunatia lewisii is digging into the mud to protect itself.
Apical view of a shell of Lunatia lewisii Euspira lewisii.jpg
Apical view of a shell of Lunatia lewisii

Habitat

This snail is found intertidally and at depths of up to 180 metres (590 ft), usually ploughing through the substrate looking for prey.

Description

The shell of this species can grow to 14 centimetres (5.5 in) across, the largest of the moon snails. It has an extremely large foot, which when the snail is active, is extended up over the shell and mantle cavity. Part of the propodium contains a black-tipped siphon which leads water into the mantle cavity. The cephalic tentacles, located on its head, are usually visible above the propodium.

When the animal retracts its soft parts into the shell, a lot of water is expelled, thus it is possible to close the shell with its tight-fitting operculum.

Diet

Neverita lewisii feeds mainly on bivalve molluscs by drilling a hole in the shell with its radula and feeding on the organism's soft flesh.

Reproduction

Like other moon snails, this species lays its eggs in a "sand collar". The eggs may number in the thousands and hatch into microscopic larvae which feed on plankton until they undergo torsion and metamorphose into the adult stage.

Related Research Articles

<i>Euspira heros</i> Species of large sea snail in the family Naticidae

Euspira heros, the northern moon snail, is a species of large sea snail in the family Naticidae. 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naticidae</span> Family of gastropods

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.

<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.

Neverita aulacoglossa is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Naticidae, the moons snails.

<i>Neverita</i> Genus of molluscs

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

<i>Natica</i> Genus of gastropods

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.

<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>Neverita josephinia</i> Species of mollusc (fossil)

Neverita josephinia is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Naticidae, the moon shells.

<i>Euspira</i> Genus of gastropods

Euspira is a genus of medium-sized sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the subfamily Polinicinae of the family Naticidae, the moon snails.

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

Euspira nitida is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Naticidae, the moon snails.

<i>Polinices immaculatus</i> Species of gastropod

Polinices immaculatus, common name the immaculate moonsnail, 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.

<i>Mammilla melanostoma</i> Species of gastropod

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

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

Neverita didyma, common name the bladder moon snail or moon shell, is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc 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.

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

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

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

Mammilla is a genus of predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Polinicinae of the family Naticidae, the moon snails.

<i>Conuber</i> Genus of gastropods

Conuber is a genus of predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Naticidae, the moon snails.

<i>Conuber sordidum</i> Species of gastropod

Conuber sordidum is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk family Naticidae, the moon snails.

<i>Polinices bifasciatus</i> Species of gastropod

Polinices bifasciatus, or two-banded moon snail, is a species of gastropod mollusc. The animal was first described to science in a work authored by English biologists Edward Griffith and Edward Pidgeon. This was a multi-volume translation of George Cuvier's, Le Règne Animal (1830). The Griffith and Pidgeon work went beyond translation and added a supplement that included the description of Polinices bifasciatus. The description of Polinices bifasciatus is attributed to John Edward Gray. It reads, in its entirety, "Pale brown, with two narrow bands".

References

  1. 1 2 3 Bouchet, P. (2012). Lunatia lewisii (Gould, 1847). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=584785 on 2012-08-16
  2. Huelsken, T., Tapken, D., Dahlmann, T., Wägele, H., Riginos, C., Hollmann, M. (2012). Systematics and phylogenetic species delimitation within Polinices s.l. (Caenogastropoda: Naticidae) based on molecular data and shell morphology. Organisms Diversity & Evolution. doi:10.1007/s13127-012-0111-5.

Further reading