Alcithoe arabica, common name Arabic volute, is a species of very large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Volutidae, the volutes.[1] [2]
| Alcithoe arabica | |
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| A shell of the shouldered form of Alcithoe arabica | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
| Order: | Neogastropoda |
| Family: | Volutidae |
| Genus: | Alcithoe |
| Species: | A. arabica
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| Binomial name | |
| Alcithoe arabica (Gmelin, 1791)
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| Synonyms | |
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See list | |
Distribution
editThis species is endemic to New Zealand.[1][3][4]
Description
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Shells of Alcithoe arabica can reach a height of 75–225 millimetres (3.0–8.9 in) and a width of 88 mm.[1] These shells are usually large, solid, fusiform, with relatively weak tubercles on the shoulder of the body whorl.[1] The shell aperture is high with a thickened, rounded outer lip.[1] The external surface is yellowish-white with chestnut zig-zag markings, forming five bands on the body whorl. These markings were thought to resemble Arabic writing, giving rise to the name of the species.
There is no operculum in A. arabica. Individuals have a large grey to brown foot, flecked with purple and orange markings.[5]
Ecology
editThese sea snails live in subtidal waters on soft sediments.[5] Alcithoe arabica are able to move quite quickly on the soft substrate. They feed on bivalves that they smother using their large foot. The rounded, thin shelled eggs of this species are laid on stones or other shells.[5]
Subspecies
edit- Alcithoe arabica jaculoides A. W. B. Powell, 1924 : synonym of Alcithoe jaculoides A. W. B. Powell, 1924 (superseded combination)
Synonyms
edit- Alcithoe (Alcithoe) arabica (Gmelin, 1791) (superseded combination)
- Alcithoe (Alcithoe) swainsoni Marwick, 1926 (junior subjective synonym)
- † Alcithoe acuta Marwick, 1926 (junior subjective synonym)
- † Alcithoe detrita Marwick, 1926 (junior subjective synonym)
- † Alcithoe lutea Marwick, 1924 (junior secondary homonym and synonym)
- Alcithoe motutarensis A. W. B. Powell, 1928 (junior subjective synonym)
- † Alcithoe nukumaruensis (P. Marshall & Murdoch, 1920) (junior subjective synonym)
- Alcithoe swainsoni Marwick, 1926
- Alcithoe motutaraensis Powell A. W. B., 1928
- † Alcithoe transformis Marwick, 1926 (junior subjective synonym)
- † Fulgoraria (Alcithoe) arabica (Gmelin, 1791) (superseded combination)
- Fulgoraraia (Alcithoe) depressa Suter, 1908
- Fulgoraria arabica (Gmelin, 1791) (superseded combination)
- † Fulgoraria turrita var. nukumaruensis P. Marshall & Murdoch, 1920 (junior subjective synonym)
- Fulguraria (Alcithoe) arabica (Gmelin, 1791) (superseded combination)
- Fulguraria (Alcithoe) depressa Suter, 1908 (junior subjective synonym)
- † Fulguraria (Alcithoe) turrita var. nukumaruensis P. Marshall & Murdoch, 1920 (junior subjective synonym)
- Notovoluta rossiteri Brazier, 1898
- Notovoluta rossiteri Swainson, 1821
- Notovoluta rossiteri Perry, 1810
- Voluta arabica Gmelin, 1791 (superseded combination)
- Voluta elongata Swainson, 1821 (junior subjective synonym)
- Voluta pacifica Perry, 1810 (junior subjective synonym)
- Voluta rossiteri Brazier, 1898 (junior subjective synonym)
Gallery
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A shell of Alcithoe arabica (smooth form) -
Apertural view
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References
edit- ^ a b c d e Powell A. W. B., New Zealand Mollusca, William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979 ISBN 0-00-216906-1
- ^ Alcithoe arabica (Gmelin, 1791). 23 July 2024. Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species.
- ^ Hills, Simon F.K.; Trewick, Steven A.; Morgan-Richards, Mary (2011). "Phylogenetic information of genes, illustrated with mitochondrial data from a genus of gastropod molluscs". Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 104 (4): 770–785. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8312.2011.01756.x.
- ^ Hills, Simon F.K.; Crampton, James S.; Trewick, Steven A.; Morgan-Richards, Mary (2012). "DNA and Morphology Unite Two Species and 10 Million Year Old Fossils". PLOS ONE. 7 (12): e52083. Bibcode:2012PLoSO...752083H. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0052083. PMC 3527379. PMID 23284880.
- ^ a b c Marine Life - Snail, Arabic Volute
Further reading
edit- Powell A W B, New Zealand Mollusca, William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979 ISBN 0-00-216906-1
- Bail, P., Limpus, A. 2005: A Conchological Iconography 11, The Recent Volutes of New Zealand, with a revision of the genus Alcithoe H. & A. Adams, 1853, ConchBooks, Hackenheim, Germany.
- Gordon, D. NZIB: New Zealand Inventory of Biodiversity.
- Grant-Mackie, Jack (December 2011). "A Fossil Egg Case of Alcithoe arabica from the Whanganui Pleistocene". Poirieria. 36: 10–12. ISSN 0032-2377. Wikidata Q115466954.
- Chris Horne (July 2005). "Observations on Alcithoe arabica at Bucklands Beach". Poirieria. 31: 21. ISSN 0032-2377. Wikidata Q115466921.
External links
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- Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Taxon: Alcithoe arabica (Gmelin, 1791) (Species)
- Catalogue of Life: Alcithoe arabica (Gmelin, 1791)
- New Zealand Mollusca: Alcithoe arabica (Gmelin, 1791)
- "Alcithoe arabica". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
- Massey University NZ Fauna Scanned 3D model of Alcithoe arabica
- Natural History Museum Rotterdam: Alcithoe arabica (f) swainsoni Marwick, 1926