Partridge tun | |
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Dorsal view of a shell of Tonna perdix | |
An image of a live individual showing the siphon | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Gastropoda |
Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
Order: | Littorinimorpha |
Family: | Tonnidae |
Genus: | Tonna |
Species: | T. perdix |
Binomial name | |
Tonna perdix | |
Synonyms [1] | |
synonymy
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Tonna perdix, common name the partridge tun, is a species of very large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Tonnidae, the tun shells. [1]
The pattern and brownish colour of the shell is reminiscent of a partridge's plumage hence the common name. The size of an adult shell varies between 70 mm and 220 mm.
The ovate-oblong shell is ventricose and pretty thin. It is of a reddish-brown color, pleasingly varied with white spots in transverse series, for the most part semi-lunar, and more or less distant. The conical spire is slightly projecting and, pointed. It is composed of from five to six whorls which are furnished with numerous ribs, often widened, feebly convex, and separated by furrows hardly apparent. The suture is very distinct and is slightly channeled towards the body whorl. The aperture is large, subovate, marked by transverse and slightly projecting bands, which correspond to the furrows of the exterior. The interior of this cavity is of a fawn color. The outer lip is thin, everted, a little undulated, and adorned with a white band the whole length of its interior, with the exception of the edge, which is of a deep brown. The inner lip is spread out over the body of the shell. It is very thin, transparent, and terminated below by a projecting plate which covers the umbilicus, and seems also to form a part of it. The columella is smooth, polished, and forms at the left of the umbilicus a thick rib, marked by transverse striae, which terminates at the emargination of the base. [2]
The ground color of the shell is a bluish white, covered with irregular spots of a red brown, bordering upon the violet. The foot is colored in the same manner beneath, but above, it is furrowed with wide triangular radiating bands. The tentacles are doubly ringed with brown. [2]
This species occurs in the Red Sea and in the Indian Ocean off Aldabra, Chagos, Madagascar, the Mascarene Basin, Mauritius and Tanzania, and in the Pacific Ocean off New Zealand, Australia (Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia) and the Galapagos Islands.
The mollusk of this shell inhabits rapid waters, and appears pretty quick in its movements. [2]
This gastropod is a highly specialized carnivorous predator, preying on sea cucumbers. [3]
The Tonnidae are a family of medium-sized to very large sea snails, known as the tun shells. These are marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Littorinimorpha. The name tun refers to the snails' shell shape, which resembles wine casks known as "tuns". While thin, the shells are also strong and lack opercula. They are found in all tropical seas, where they inhabit sandy areas. During the day, they bury themselves in the substrate, emerging at night to feed on echinoderms, crustaceans, and bivalves. Some larger species also capture fish, using their expandable probosces to swallow them whole. Females lay rows of eggs that become free-swimming larvae for several months before settling to the bottom.
Tonna is a genus of large sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Tonnidae, the tun or cask shells.
Tonna dolium, common name the spotted tun, is a species of large sea snail or tun snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Tonnidae, the tun shells.
Tonna galea, commonly known as the giant tun, is a species of marine gastropod mollusc in the family Tonnidae. This very large sea snail or tun snail is found in the North Atlantic Ocean as far as the coast of West Africa, in the Mediterranean Sea and the Caribbean Sea. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758.
Malea pomum, common name the Pacific grinning tun, is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Tonnidae, the tun shells.
Tonna allium, common name the costate tun, is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Tonnidae, the tun shells.
Tonna boucheti is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Tonnidae, the tun shells.
Tonna dunkeri is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Tonnidae, the tun shells.
Tonna hawaiiensis is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Tonnidae, the tun shells.
Tonna lischkeana is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Tonnidae, the tun shells.
Tonna morrisoni is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Tonnidae, the tun shells.
Tonna oentoengi is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Tonnidae, the tun shells.
Tonna pennata is a large species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Tonnidae, the tun shells. Commonly known as the Atlantic partridge tun, the species is a predator of animals much larger than itself, particularly sea cucumbers.
Tonna sulcosa, common name banded tun, is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Tonnidae, the tun shells.
Tonna tessellata, the mosaic tun, tessellate tun or maculated tun, is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Tonnidae.
Tonna zonata is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Tonnidae, the tun shells.
Eudolium is a genus of large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Tonnidae, the tun shells.
Malea is a genus of large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Tonnidae, the tun shells.
Tonna chinensis, common name : the China tun, is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Tonnidae, the tun shells.
Tonna variegata, commonly known as the variegated tun, is a species of marine gastropod mollusc in the family Tonnidae.