Nucella squamosa

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Nucella squamosa
Nucella squamosa 01.JPG
Five views of a shell of Nucella squamosa (Lamarck, 1816)
Scientific classification
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N. squamosa
Binomial name
Nucella squamosa
(Lamarck, 1816)
Synonyms [1]

Purpura clathrataBlainville, 1832
Purpura clathrataKuster, 1859
Purpura ovalisBlainville, 1832
Purpura squamosaLamarck, 1816
Purpura squamulosaGray, 1839
Thais sculpturataTurton, 1932
Thais subglobosaTurton, 1932

Contents

Nucella squamosa, common name the scaly dogwhelk, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails. [1]

Description

hydroid overgrowth on the shell Commensal hydroid7.jpg
hydroid overgrowth on the shell

The scaly dogwhelk is a small brown whelk with many fine knobbly spiral ridges on its shell. It grows up to 5 cm in total length. The ridges of the snail's shell are not often visible because the whelk is usually overgrown by the high-spined commensal hydroid, Hydtractinia altispina, which looks prickly and is orange. [2]

Distribution

This marine snail is found off the southern African coast from central Namibia to Port St Johns, subtidally to 50m under water. [2]

Ecology

The eggs are laid in small groups of capsules which resemble stalked clubs. The commensal hydroid deters several of the snail's predators. [2]

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References

  1. 1 2 Nucella squamosa (Lamarck, 1816) . Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species  on 24 April 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 Branch, G.M., Branch, M.L, Griffiths, C.L. and Beckley, L.E. 2010. Two Oceans: a guide to the marine life of southern Africa. ISBN   978-1-77007-772-0.