Melanella acicula

Melanella acicula
Shell of Melanella acicula
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Littorinimorpha
Family: Eulimidae
Genus: Melanella
Species:
M. acicula
Binomial name
Melanella acicula
Gould, 1849
Synonyms
  • Cuspeulima iredalei Laseron, 1955
  • Eulima acicularis A. Adams, 1861
  • Eulima pisorum Pilsbry, 1917
  • Eulima vitrea A. Adams, 1854
  • Leiostraca aciculata [sic] (misspelling)
  • Melanella iredalei Laseron, 1955
  • Melanella pisorum Pilsbry, 1917
  • Stilifer acicula Gould, 1859

Melanella acicula is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Eulimidae. This species is one of many species known to exist within the genus, Melanella [1] [2]

Description

(Original description in Latin) The small shell is imperforate, and elongated-subulate, tapering to a very sharp point. Toward the apex, it is perfectly smooth and very gradually twisted. The surface is extremely glossy, and the shell is livid-white or milky in colour, sometimes with a yellowish tinge.

The spire consists of as many as twelve flattened whorls, which are separated by a distinct, shining suture. The aperture is narrow and oval. The outer lip is simple, curves forward in a gentle arch, and is produced anteriorly. The columella is only slightly curved. [3]

Distribution

This species occurs in the Indo-West Pacific; also off Korea, Japan, New Caledonia and Australia (New South Wales, Queensland)

References

  1. ↑ Melanella acicula (A. A. Gould, 1849). 14 August 2026. Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species.
  2. ↑ Warén A. (2011). Checklist of Eulimidae. pers. com.
  3. ↑ Gould, A.A. (1849). "[Descriptions of new species of shells, brought home by the U. S. Exploring Expedition". Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History. 3: 84. Retrieved 14 August 2026. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  • Higo, S.; Callomon, P.; Goto, Y. (1999). Catalogue and Bibliography of the Marine Shell-Bearing Mollusca of Japan. Elle Scientific Publications, Yao, Japan, 749 pp.
  • Okutani T., ed. (2000) Marine mollusks in Japan. Tokai University Press. 1173 pp.