Xenophora crispa

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Xenophora crispa
Temporal range: Pliocene – Recent [1]
Xenophora crispa 01.JPG
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Littorinimorpha
Family: Xenophoridae
Genus: Xenophora
Species:
X. crispa
Binomial name
Xenophora crispa
(König, 1825)
Synonyms [2]
  • Trochus crispus König, 1825
  • Xenophora (Xenophora) crispa(König, 1825) · accepted, alternate representation
  • Xenophora mediterraneaTiberi, 1863

Xenophora crispa, the Mediterranean Carrier Shell, is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Xenophoridae, the carrier shells. [2] [3]

Contents

Fossils of Xenophora crispa from Pliocene of Italy Xenophoridae - Xenophora crispa.JPG
Fossils of Xenophora crispa from Pliocene of Italy

Fossil record

There are currently 16 known species in the genus, Xenophora. Fossils of Xenophora crispa are found in marine strata of Pliocene of Italy and Spain (age range: from 3.6 to 2.588 million years ago.). [1] The Pliocene stage is the last stage of the Tertiary period before the Quaternary ice ages. This stage was the final of global cooling. Fossils of the genus Xenophora are found in marine strata from Cretaceous to Quaternary (age range : 89.3 to 0.012 million years). Although Xenophora crispa are found specifically in Italy and in Spain, fossils from the genus Xenophora can be found all over the world.

Description

Shells of Xenophora crispa can reach a size of 30–63 millimetres (1.2–2.5 in). [4] They are trochoid, depressed-conical shells, non-porcellanous ventrally, with narrow peripheral edge and 7-8 whorls decorated with irregular spirals wrinkles. The shell of this species consists of argonitic crossed lamellar fabric. The base is slightly concave. Foreign objects are usually attached to all whorls of these shells, usually mollusk shells, pebbles, or small pieces of coral rock. The Mediterranean Carrier Shell uses these fragments for tactile and olfactory camouflage (attachments of other shells look like jumbles of shells on seafloor to predators). This specific camouflage is used because Xenophora crispa are found in shallow waters. Deeper water species of this genus use their attachments to not sink into the muck below them. Fragments can also be used to strengthen its rather fragile shell. [5] Prismatic microstructures mediate the attachment areas of the foreign objects on the shell of the Xenophora crispa. Some of the species in the genus Xenophora only attract one to two foreign object on their shell, while other species, like the Xenophora crispa are completely covered.

Distribution

This marine species is present in the Mediterranean Sea and off West Africa to Angola. [4] [6] This species is often found on continental shelves and slopes. They are mostly found in benthic zones, the bottom of the body of water. They are found in subtropical waters (temperature range: from 10 degrees Celsius to 24 degrees Celsius). Found in the bibliography (on the EOL site) you can find a map that shows the global distribution of the 16 species that make up the genus Xenophora.

Diet

All species in the genus Xenophora are detritivores (and heterotrophic, meaning they do not produce their own food). Detritivores feed on dead organic material, most commonly plant detritus. All detritivores are important in their ecosystems because they cycle nutrients in the carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycle.

Life Stages

This species start as embryos and then develop into planktonic trochophore larvae which are small, clear, free-swimming larvae. Their swimming is enabled by a prototroch (a sensory plate). After the larvae stage they go into their dominant larvae phase, juvenile veligers. Later, they become a full grown adult.

Movement

Similarly to other gastropods, Xenophora crispa move across the seafloor using locomotion. They do this using their singular anterior foot.

Reproduction

Xenophora crispa are gonochoric which means they have two sexes, male and female. They spawn using the method of broadcast spawning, releasing egg and sperm into the water and then fertilization occurs.

Bibliography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Littorinimorpha</span> Order of gastropods

Littorinimorpha is a large order of snails, gastropods, consisting primarily of sea snails, but also including some freshwater snails and land snails.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xenophoridae</span> Family of gastropods

Xenophoridae, commonly called carrier shells, is a family of medium-sized to large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the clade Littorinimorpha.

<i>Xenophora</i> Genus of gastropods

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.

<i>Xenophora neozelanica</i> Species of gastropod

Xenophora neozelanica, is a species of medium-sized sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Xenophoridae, the carrier snails or carrier shells.

<i>Conus stupa</i> Species of sea snail

Conus stupa is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies.

Raphitoma histrix is an extinct species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Raphitomidae.

<i>Onustus caribaeus</i> Species of gastropod

Onustus caribaeus is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Xenophoridae, the carrier shells.

<i>Onustus exutus</i> Species of gastropod

Onustus exutus is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Xenophoridae, the carrier shells.

<i>Onustus longleyi</i> Species of snail

Onustus longleyi is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Xenophoridae, the carrier shells.

<i>Stellaria chinensis</i> Species of gastropod

Stellaria chinensis is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Xenophoridae, the carrier shells.

<i>Stellaria solaris</i> Species of gastropod

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.

<i>Stellaria testigera</i> Species of gastropod

Stellaria testigera, common name finger carrier shell, is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Xenophoridae, the carrier shells.

<i>Xenophora conchyliophora</i> Species of gastropod

Xenophora conchyliophora is a species of medium-sized to large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Xenophoridae, the carrier shells.

<i>Xenophora corrugata</i> Species of gastropod

Xenophora corrugata is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Xenophoridae, the carrier shells.

<i>Xenophora japonica</i> Species of gastropod

Xenophora japonica is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Xenophoridae, the carrier shells.

<i>Xenophora mekranensis</i> Species of gastropod

Xenophora mekranensis is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Xenophoridae, the carrier shells.

<i>Xenophora pallidula</i> Species of gastropod

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 peroniana is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Xenophoridae, the carrier shells.

<i>Xenophora solarioides</i> Species of gastropod

Xenophora solarioides is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Xenophoridae, the carrier shells.

<i>Onustus</i> Genus of gastropods

Onustus is a genus of large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Xenophoridae, the carrier shells.

References

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