Norrisia norrisii

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Norrisia norrisii
Norrisia norrisii.jpg
A live individual of Norrisia norrisii, its shell encrusted with barnacles (upper left) and an encrusting coralline alga (lower right part of the shell). The snail is on the giant kelp, species Macrocystis pyrifera
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Clade: Vetigastropoda
Order: Trochida
Superfamily: Trochoidea
Family: Tegulidae
Genus: Norrisia
Species:
N. norrisii
Binomial name
Norrisia norrisii
Synonyms
  • Trochiscus convexusCarpenter, 1865
  • Trochiscus norrisiiSowerby I, 1838 (original combination)
  • Trochus norrisiFlscher
  • Turbo norrisiDeshayes
  • Turbo rotelliformisJay, J.C., 1859

The marine snail Norrisia norrisii is a medium-sized gastropod mollusk within the family Tegulidae. [2] It has several common names, including Norris's top snail, Norris's topsnail, norrissnail, [3] smooth brown turban snail, or kelp snail. It was first described by G.B. Sowerby I under the name Trochiscus norrisii (in honour of the naturalist Thomas Norris). [1]

Tegulidae is a family of small to large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Trochoidea.

George Brettingham Sowerby I British conchologist

George Brettingham Sowerby I was a British naturalist, illustrator and conchologist.

Contents

Distribution

The species has been found along the Pacific coast of North America from Monterey to Isla Asuncion on the Baja California peninsula in Mexico. [4] Off the coast of California, with the exception of a persistent population in Diablo Cove, Norrisia norrisi primarily occurs south of Point Conception in the low intertidal and shallow subtidal zones. [4] [5]

Pacific coast part of any countrys coast bordering the Pacific Ocean

A country's Pacific coast is the part of its coast bordering the Pacific Ocean.

North America Continent entirely within the Northern Hemisphere and almost all within the Western Hemisphere

North America is a continent entirely within the Northern Hemisphere and almost all within the Western Hemisphere; it is also considered by some to be a northern subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the west and south by the Pacific Ocean, and to the southeast by South America and the Caribbean Sea.

California State of the United States of America

California is a state in the Pacific Region of the United States. With 39.6 million residents, California is the most populous U.S. state and the third-largest by area. The state capital is Sacramento. The Greater Los Angeles Area and the San Francisco Bay Area are the nation's second- and fifth-most populous urban regions, with 18.7 million and 9.7 million residents respectively. Los Angeles is California's most populous city, and the country's second-most populous, after New York City. California also has the nation's most populous county, Los Angeles County, and its largest county by area, San Bernardino County. The City and County of San Francisco is both the country's second-most densely populated major city after New York City and the fifth-most densely populated county, behind only four of the five New York City boroughs.

Description

Norrisia norrisii shell with a slipper shell attached. Norrisia norrisii SIL1.jpg
Norrisia norrisii shell with a slipper shell attached.

Norrisia norrisii has a wide, solid, shell that ranges in size from a few mm in juveniles up to 59 mm in adults, as measured across the greatest shell dimension. [6] The shell is smooth, save for light growth lines and ill-defined spiral lines. It is brown or reddish fawn-colored, black around the umbilicus and greenish inside.

Exoskeleton External skeleton of an organism

An exoskeleton is the external skeleton that supports and protects an animal's body, in contrast to the internal skeleton (endoskeleton) of, for example, a human. In usage, some of the larger kinds of exoskeletons are known as "shells". Examples of animals with exoskeletons include insects such as grasshoppers and cockroaches, and crustaceans such as crabs and lobsters. The shells of certain sponges and the various groups of shelled molluscs, including those of snails, clams, tusk shells, chitons and nautilus, are also exoskeletons. Some animals, such as the tortoise, have both an endoskeleton and an exoskeleton.

Umbilicus (mollusc)

The umbilicus of a shell is the axially aligned, hollow cone-shaped space within the whorls of a coiled mollusc shell. The term umbilicus is often used in descriptions of gastropod shells, i.e. it is a feature present on the ventral side of many snail shells, including some species of sea snails, land snails, and freshwater snails.

Similar to other trochid snails, such as the more commonly occurring Chlorostoma species (or Tegula), the dextrally coiled shell of Norrisia norrisii is also more globose and shows a depressed-turbinate shape. [7]

<i>Chlorostoma</i> genus of molluscs

Chlorostoma is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Tegulidae.

<i>Tegula</i> (gastropod) genus of molluscs

Tegula is a genus of small to medium-sized sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Tegulidae.

The spire is low-conoidal. The minute apex is subacute, and spirally striate ; when perfect, the apical whorls are variegated. The 6 whorls widen rapidly. They are nearly plane and sloping above. Their edges project outside. They are pa23ery and rolled up like a spiral cord. The body whorl is very large. The thin peristome is simple. The sutures are plain.

Spire (mollusc)

A spire is a part of the coiled shell of molluscs. The spire consists of all of the whorls except for the body whorl. Each spire whorl represents a rotation of 360°. A spire is part of the shell of a snail, a gastropod mollusc, a gastropod shell, and also the whorls of the shell in ammonites, which are fossil shelled cephalopods.

In anatomy, an apex is part of the shell of a mollusk. The apex is the pointed tip of the shell of a gastropod, scaphopod, or cephalopod.

Whorl (mollusc)

A whorl is a single, complete 360° revolution or turn in the spiral growth of a mollusc shell. A spiral configuration of the shell is found in of numerous gastropods, but it is also found in shelled cephalopods including Nautilus, Spirula and the large extinct subclass of cephalopods known as the ammonites.

Other distinctive features include a smooth, green columella, an open, black-ringed umbilicus. The columellar margin is thickened at the base of the shell, and has a very obtuse tubercle there. The rounded-quadrangular aperture is angular above and brilliantly nacreous inside. It is sealed with an operculum made of protein rather than calcium carbonate. The operculum is circular, multispiral, with a central nucleus. The fleshy foot of the snail is a bright reddish orange with black speckling lining the basal margin. Four elongate epipodial tentacles are spaced evenly along both sides of the muscular foot. [6] [8]

Columella (gastropod)

The columella or pillar is a central anatomical feature of a coiled snail shell, a gastropod shell. The columella is often only clearly visible as a structure when the shell is broken, sliced in half vertically, or viewed as an X-ray image.

Aperture (mollusc) The main opening of the shell, where the head-foot part of the body of the animal emerges

The aperture is an opening in certain kinds of mollusc shells: it is the main opening of the shell, where the head-foot part of the body of the animal emerges for locomotion, feeding, etc.

Operculum (gastropod) A hard structure which closes the aperture of a gastropod when the animal retreats into the shell

The operculum, meaning little lid, is a corneous or calcareous anatomical structure like a trapdoor which exists in many groups of sea snails and freshwater snails, and also in a few groups of land snails; the structure is found in some marine and freshwater gastropods, and in a minority of terrestrial gastropods, including the families Helicinidae, Cyclophoridae, Aciculidae, Maizaniidae, Pomatiidae, etc.

Empty shells of Norrisia norrisii are often occupied by hermit crabs, using the hard shell to protect their poorly armored posterior.

Ecology

Habitat

Norrisia norrisii can be found in the lower rocky intertidal zone, where these snails graze on algae, microscopic films, and wrack. More commonly Norrisia norrisii is found in the shallow subtidal, particularly in kelp forests. On Santa Catalina Island off the coast of southern California, Norrisia norrisii is commonly seen crawling up and down stipes of the giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera . [6] [9]

Feeding

Early studies on the feeding ecology of Norrisia norrisii indicated that these snails preferred to feed on kelps, with a general hierarchy of Egregia > Laminaria farlowii > Macrocystis pyrifera > Eisenia arborea . [10] Using binary choice feeding experiments, Wakefield and Murray (1998) demonstrated that the herbivorous gastropod Norrisia norrisii preferred laminarialean kelps over all other algae tested. When comparing kelps, blades of the giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera were slightly preferred over the feather boa kelp Egregia menziesii , and both were strongly preferred over sporophylls (i.e. reproductive blades) of the southern sea palm Eisenia arborea. All kelps tested were consistently selected over other algae commonly encountered by Norrisia norrisii (e.g., Halidrys dioica , Dictyota flabellata , and Pterocladia capillacea ). [11]

Reproduction

Very little is known about reproduction by Norrisia norrisii. Some marine snails reproduce by broadcast spawning, releasing sperm and eggs into the water column at the same time, and rely on external fertilization to produce the next generation. Other species internally fertilize eggs, then release larvae or lay egg cases containing the larvae. It is not known which method is used by Norrisia norrisii.

Predators

Predators of Norrisia norrisii include sea otters, starfish such as Pisaster ochraceus and Pisaster giganteus , [12] California spiny lobster Panulirus interruptus , [13] and drilling mollusks such as octopus [9] [14] and moon snails. When fleeing a predator on a sloping substrate or while crawling on kelp, a Norrisia norrisii may simply detach itself and roll or fall away from the predator. If detached from a giant kelp or other stipitate alga, Norrisia norrisii will quickly crawl towards another kelp upon reaching the bottom. [6] [9] Mortality on the bottom of the reef is much higher than on the giant kelp. [9]

Related Research Articles

Kelp Large brown seaweeds in the order Laminariales

Kelps are large brown algae seaweeds that make up the order Laminariales. There are about 30 different genera.

<i>Haliotis cracherodii</i> species of mollusc

Haliotis cracherodii is a species of large edible sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalones.

Kelp forest

Kelp forests are underwater areas with a high density of kelp. They are recognized as one of the most productive and dynamic ecosystems on Earth. Smaller areas of anchored kelp are called kelp beds.

<i>Macrocystis</i> Genus of large brown algae

Macrocystis is a monospecific genus of kelp. This genus contains the largest of all the phaeophyceae or brown algae. Macrocystis has pneumatocysts at the base of its blades. Sporophytes are perennial and the individual may live for up to three years; stipes/fronds within a whole individual undergo senescence, where each frond may persist for approximately 100 days. The genus is found widely in subtropical, temperate, and sub-Antarctic oceans of the Southern Hemisphere and in the northeast Pacific from Baja California to Sitka, Alaska. Macrocystis is often a major component of temperate kelp forests.

Eisenia arborea, or the southern sea palm, is a dominant species of kelp that is found in the Northern and Eastern Pacific from Vancouver Island, Canada south to Isla Magdalena, Mexico, and along the coast of Baja California. They are commonly found from the midtidal areas stretching to the subtidal areas. It is an edible seaweed, a source of nutrients for grazing marine invertebrates and a source of alginic acid, a food thickener. Some of the algas have a hollow stripe above its holdfast with two branches terminating in multiple blades. Eisenia arborea is studied in order to predict environmental stress in oceans intertidal zones. Hollow stripes where present when the Eisenia arborea did not receive essential nutrients for its thalli development. Eisenia arborea with hollow stripes are believed to be evolved algae in order to increase their survival in harsh living conditions. They play a huge role in determining environmental stress.

<i>Haliotis rufescens</i> species of mollusc

Haliotis rufescens is a species of very large edible sea snail in the family Haliotidae, the abalones, ormer shells or paua. It is distributed from British Columbia, Canada, to Baja California, Mexico. It is most common in the southern half of its range.

<i>Loxechinus albus</i> species of echinoderm

Loxechinus albus is an echinoderm of the family Parechinidae, native to coastal southern South America, ranging from Ecuador, along the entire coasts of Peru and Chile, to Argentina, as well as the Falkland Islands. It is known as the Chilean sea urchin or red sea urchin, but the latter name is typically used for the North Pacific Mesocentrotus franciscanus and it is not the only species of sea urchin in Chile. L. albus is found on rocky reefs and shores in the intertidal and subtidal zones to a depth of 340 m (1,120 ft).

<i>Calliostoma ligatum</i> species of mollusc

Calliostoma ligatum, common name the blue top snail, is a small prosobranch trochid gastropod mollusk in the family Calliostomatidae, the Calliostoma top snails.

<i>Macrocystis pyrifera</i> species of kelp

Macrocystis pyrifera, commonly known as giant kelp or giant bladder kelp, is a species of kelp, and one of four species in the genus Macrocystis. Giant kelp is common along the coast of the eastern Pacific Ocean, from Baja California north to southeast Alaska, and is also found in the southern oceans near South America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. Individual algae may grow to more than 45 metres long at a rate of as much as 60 cm (2 ft) per day. Giant kelp grows in dense stands known as kelp forests, which are home to many marine animals that depend on the algae for food or shelter. The primary commercial product obtained from giant kelp is alginate, but humans also harvest this species on a limited basis for use directly as food, as it is rich in iodine, potassium, and other minerals. It can be used in cooking in many of the ways other sea vegetables are used, and particularly serves to add flavor to bean dishes.

<i>Cryptolithodes sitchensis</i> species of crustacean

Cryptolithodes sitchensis, variously known as the umbrella crab, Sitka crab or turtle crab, is a species of lithodid crustacean native to coastal regions of the northeastern Pacific Ocean, ranging from Sitka, Alaska to Point Loma, California. Its carapace extends over its legs such that when it pulls in its legs, it resembles a small stone. It lives in rocky areas from the low intertidal to depths of 17 m (56 ft).

<i>Discurria insessa</i> species of mollusc

Discurria insessa, common name the seaweed limpet, is a species of sea snail, a true limpet, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Lottiidae.

<i>Nucella lamellosa</i> species of mollusc

Nucella lamellosa, commonly known as the frilled dogwinkle or wrinkled purple whelk, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails. This species occurs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, its range extending in the intertidal zone from the Aleutian Islands southward to central California.

<i>Pagurus samuelis</i> species of crustacean

Pagurus samuelis, the blueband hermit crab, is a species of hermit crab from the west coast of North America, and the most common hermit crab in California. It is a small species, with distinctive blue bands on its legs. It prefers to live in the shell of the black turban snail, and is a nocturnal scavenger of algae and carrion.

Pterygophora californica is a large species of kelp, commonly known as stalked kelp. It is the only species in its genus Pterygophora. It grows in shallow water on the Pacific coast of North America where it forms part of a biodiverse community in a "kelp forest".

Aquaculture of giant kelp

Aquaculture of giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera, is the cultivation of kelp for uses such as food, dietary supplements or potash. Giant kelp contains compounds such as iodine, potassium, other minerals vitamins and carbohydrates.

<i>Margarites pupillus</i> species of mollusc

Margarites pupillus, common name the puppet margarite or the little margarite, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Margaritidae, the turban snails.

<i>Macrocystis integrifolia</i> species of Phaeophyceae

Macrocystis integrifolia is one of four species of kelp in the genus Macrocystis which grows to about 6 metres (20 ft) long.

<i>Kelletia kelletii</i> species of mollusc

Kelletia kelletii, common name Kellet's whelk, is a species of large sea snail, a whelk, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Buccinidae, the true whelks.

Lytechinus pictus, commonly known as the painted urchin, is a sea urchin in the family Toxopneustidae. It occurs on shallow reefs in the tropical and subtropical eastern Pacific Ocean, off the coasts of California, Central America and South America as far south as Ecuador.

Lottia instabilis is a species of sea snail, a true limpet, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Lottiidae. Common names include the unstable limpet, the unstable seaweed limpet and the rocking chair limpet. It is native to the northern Pacific Ocean where it feeds on kelp in the intertidal zone and the shallow sub-littoral zone.

References

  1. 1 2 G.B. Sowerby I (1838). "Description of a new genus of Trochidea, belonging to the family of Gasteropoda phytophaga". The Magazine of Natural History. 2: 96.
  2. ↑ Williams S.T., S. Karube and T. Ozawa. 2008. Molecular systematics of Vetigastropoda: Trochidae, Turbinidae and Trochoidea redefined. Zoologica Scripta 37(5): 483-506.
  3. ↑ https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=70013
  4. 1 2 Lonhart, S.I. and J.W. Tupen. 2001. New range records of 12 marine invertebrates: the role of El Nino and other mechanisms in southern and central California. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences 100(3):238-248.
  5. ↑ Morris, R.H., D.P. Abbott and E.C. Haderlie. 1980. Intertidal Invertebrates of California. Stanford University Press: Stanford, CA.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Lonhart, S.I. 1996. The vertical distribution and diel migration of Norrisia norrisii on Macrocystis pyrifera at Santa Catalina Island. Master of Science thesis, California State University at Long Beach. 103 pages.
  7. ↑ Keen, A.M. and E. Coan. 1974. Marine molluscan genera of western North America. Second edition. Stanford University Press: Stanford, CA.
  8. ↑ Tryon (1889), Manual of Conchology XI, Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia
  9. 1 2 3 4 Schmitt, R.J., C.W. Osenberg and M.G. Bercovitch. 1983. Mechanisms and consequences of shell fouling in the kelp snail, Norrisisa norrisii (Sowerby) (Trochidae): indirect effects of octopus drilling. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 69:267-281.
  10. ↑ Leighton, D.L. 1966. Studies of food preference in algiverous invertebrates in southern California kelp beds. Pacific Science 20:104-113.
  11. ↑ Wakefield, R.L. and S.N. Murray. 1998. Factors influencing food choice by the seaweed-eating marine snail Norrisia norrisii (Trochidae). Marine Biology 130: 631-642.
  12. ↑ Leighton, D.L. 1971. Grazing activities of benthic invertebrates in southern California kelp beds. In: W.J. North (editor), The biology of giant kelp beds (Macrocystis) in California. Beihefte zur Nova Hedwigia, Heft 32:1-600.
  13. ↑ Engle, J.M. 1979. Ecology and growth of juvenile California spiny lobster, Panulirus interruptus (Randall). Doctoral dissertation, University of Southern California.
  14. ↑ Ambrose, R.F> 1984. Food preferences, prey availability, and the diet of Octopus bimaculatus (Verrill). Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 77:29-44.
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