Ranularia sinensis

Ranularia sinensis
Apertural view of Ranularia sinensis (Reeve, 1844)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Littorinimorpha
Family:	Cymatiidae
Genus:	Ranularia
Species:	R. sinensis
Binomial name
Ranularia sinensis (Reeve, 1844)
Synonyms [1]
Cymatium (Ranularia) sinense (Reeve, 1844) Cymatium defrenata Iredale, T., 1936 Ranularia sinensis defranataIredale, 1936 Cymatium (Ranularia) sinensis defrenata Iredale, T., 193 Triton sinensisReeve, 1844

Ranularia sinensis, common name: the Chinese triton, is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cymatiidae. ^{[1] [2]}

This species was originally described by Reeve in 1844 as Cymatium (Ranularia) sinense ^[3]

Description

The shell size varies between 50mm and 94 mm. The shell has strong spiral ribs and intermediate riblets consisting of 6 or 7 major ribs on the body whorl and 2 or 3 on each spire whorl. ^[4] The first 2 or 3 ribs on each whorl are bifid. Axial ribs on spire whorls are numerous, and become strong nodules on the periphery. Later whorls may have strong, high varices. The outer lip has 7 or 8 strong bifid teeth internally. It is white or fawn in color and the shell is covered with a thick, brown, sometimes hairy periostracum when alive.

Distribution

This marine species occurs off South Japan and New South Wales, Australia at depths of 30-200m. ^[4]

References

1. Ranularia sinensis (Reeve, 1844) . Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species  on 6 December 2018.
2. "Ranularia sinensis - Facts, Diet, Habitat & Pictures on Animalia.bio". animalia.bio. Retrieved 11 November 2025.
3. Reeve, L.A. (1844). Monograph of the genus Triton . pp. pls 1–20 in Reeve, L.A. Conchologia Iconica. London : L. Reeve & Co. Vol.2
4. "Cymatium sinense". seashellsofnsw.org.au. Retrieved 11 November 2025.

External links

• "Cymatium (Ranularia) sinense sinense". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 9 November 2010.