Phasianella australis

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Australian Pheasant
Phasianella australis 004.jpg
Drawing of a shell of Phasianella australis
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Vetigastropoda
Order: Trochida
Superfamily: Trochoidea
Family: Phasianellidae
Genus: Phasianella
Species:
P. australis
Binomial name
Phasianella australis
Gmelin, 1788
Synonyms
  • Buccinum tritonisChemnitz, 1788
  • Bulimus phasianusPerry, G., 1810
  • Phasianella bulimoidesLamarck
  • Phasianella decorataChenu
  • Phasianella delicatulaTenison-Woods, J.E., 1877
  • Phasianella lehmanniMenke, 1830
  • Phasianella pictaDeBlain
  • Phasianella preissiMenke, 1830
  • Phasianella tritonisChemnitz, 1788
  • Phasianella variaLamarck

Phasianella australis, common names the Australian pheasant, painted lady, and pheasant snail, is a medium-sized to large species of sea snail with a calcareous operculum and a colorfully patterned shell, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Phasianellidae.

Contents

Description

This is the largest shell in the genus Phasianella, with its height varying between 40 mm and 100 mm. The rather thin shell is elongated and has a pointed-ovate shape. The conical spire is elevated. The shell contains 7-8 somewhat convex whorls. These are slightly flattened below the sutures. The long-ovate aperture is somewhat pyriform and forms usually less than half the total length of shell. The outer lip is thin. The columella shows more or less a white shining callus. The surface of the shell is variously longitudinally clouded and transversely articulated with red and purple olive on a polished flesh-colored, cream or white ground. The color pattern is extremely variable. [1]

Distribution

This marine species occurs off southern Australia and Tasmania. [2]

References

  1. ↑ G.W. Tryon (1888), Manual of Conchology X; Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia
  2. ↑ Scase, Robert; Storey, Eric (1975). The world of shells. Berkshire: Osprey. ISBN   978-0-85045-222-8.
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