| Onustus longleyi | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
| Order: | Littorinimorpha |
| Family: | Xenophoridae |
| Genus: | Onustus |
| Species: | O. longleyi |
| Binomial name | |
| Onustus longleyi Bartsch, 1931 | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
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Onustus longleyi is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Xenophoridae, the carrier shells. [1]
These sea snails are usually a white-cream color, with a cream underside. Their spire is rather smooth, and the lower edge of the shell is quite irregular and jagged. The umbilicus is straight and open to the apex. Small bits of their shells are cemented at the suture. Most of these gastropods have a calcareous external shell. Others lack a shell completely, or have reduced internal shells. These snails are known for their tendency to pick up other shells, skeletal fragments, rocks, or corals (sometimes still alive) from their surrounding environment and cement these objects to their own shells. The result looks like a pile of shells on the seafloor. Often, sponges and serpulid worm tubes are found encrusting the xenophorid shell - as they contribute to the illusion that a xenophorid is simply a patch of the seafloor. Xenophora carrier snails do this as a camouflage defense against predators. A "glue" or mucus is secreted from the outer portion of their body, called the mantle or pallium in Latin, which means cloak or robe. This mucus is a combination of protein, calcium carbonate, etc. that bind together and harden to form the outer shell. It is constantly secreted to enlarge the spiral shell, in a 360-degree manner, as the soft-bodied snail grows. The marine snail "collects" or attaches the bits to the outside edges of the spiral or whorled edges. Their "foot" is the part of their body that they move with.
This species reproduces sexually. Their embryos develop into planktonic trochophore larvae, and later into juvenile veligers before becoming fully grown adults. These carnivores consume low growing organisms, such as low-growing grasses and algae. The animals move by extending their powerful foot, anchoring the end in the substrate with the operculum (gill cover), and jerking the shell forward in a leaping movement.
Onustus longleyi is distributed along the American Atlantic coast from North Carolina to the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean reaching Brazil in the South. It can be found between 180 and 695 meters. [2] They are usually found on continental shelves and continental slopes in subtropical and tropical regions. They mostly occupy marine environments, but can also be found in freshwater and terrestrial environments.
Turbonillinae is a subfamily of mostly minute parasitic sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Pyramidellidae, the pyrams and their allies.
Xenophoridae, commonly called carrier shells, is a family of medium-sized to large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the clade Littorinimorpha.
Xenophora, commonly called carrier shells, is a genus of medium-sized to large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Xenophoridae, the carrier snails or carrier shells. The genus Xenophora is the type genus of the family Xenophoridae.
Vermetus triquetrus is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Vermetidae, the worm snails or worm shells.
Onustus caribaeus is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Xenophoridae, the carrier shells.
Stellaria chinensis is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Xenophoridae, the carrier shells.
Stellaria solaris, common name the sun carrier shell, is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Xenophoridae, the carrier shells.
Xenophora flindersi is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Xenophoridae, the carrier shells.
Xenophora cerea is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Xenophoridae, the carrier shells.
Xenophora conchyliophora is a species of medium-sized to large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Xenophoridae, the carrier shells.
Xenophora corrugata is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Xenophoridae, the carrier shells.
Xenophora granulosa is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Xenophoridae, the carrier shells.
Xenophora japonica is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Xenophoridae, the carrier shells.
Xenophora mekranensis is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Xenophoridae, the carrier shells.
Xenophora pallidula, the pallid carrier shell, is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Xenophoridae, the carrier shells.
Xenophora solarioides is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Xenophoridae, the carrier shells.
Xenophora tenuis is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Xenophoridae, the carrier shells.
Onustus is a genus of large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Xenophoridae, the carrier shells.
Odostomia licina is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Pyramidellidae, the pyrams and their allies.
Babelomurex pacei is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk, in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.
3. Onustus longleyi (Bartsch, 1931) in GBIF Secretariat (2021). GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/39omei accessed via GBIF.org on 2022-04-25.
4. Springsteen, F.J. and F.M. Leobrera 1986 Shells of the Philippines. Carfel Seashell Museum. Metro Manila, Philippines. 377 p.
5. MolluscaBase eds. (2022). MolluscaBase. Xenophora (Onustus) longleyi Bartsch, 1931. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=743991 on 2022-
04-25