Jenneria pustulata
Jenneria pustulata | |
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A shell of Jenneria pustulata, anterior end towards the right | |
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Species: | J. pustulata
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Binomial name | |
Jenneria pustulata (Lightfoot, 1786)
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Synonyms[1] | |
Jenneria pustulata var. bimaculata Coen, 1949 |
Jenneria pustulata, common name the Jenner's Cowry or Pustulated Cowry, is a species of small sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Pediculariidae, one of the families of cowry allies.[1]
Description
The shells of this common species reach on average 15–27 millimetres (0.59–1.06 in)inlength. The shape is usual spindle-like or oval. The dorsum surface is decorated with numerous brilliant orange-red bumps or pustules (hence the Latin name pustulata) surrounded by a dark ring. The basic color of the dorsal surface is grey, beige or brown. The fine labial teeth are prominent, their color is white or pale brown, and they cross the entire base, with dark brown spaces in between. In the living animals the mantle is greyish, with long tree-shaped sensorial papillae.
Distribution
This species occurs in California, the Sea of Cortez, West Mexico, Nicaragua, West Panama, Ecuador, the Galapagos and also in Hawaii.
Habitat
These sea snails live in tropical to temperate waters at low tide to subtidal levels, and are usually found on coral reef or rocks. They feed by night on stony corals (mainly Pocillopora species in the order Scleractinia).
References
- ^ a b Jenneria pustulata (Lightfoot, 1786). WoRMS (2009). Jenneria pustulata (Lightfoot, 1786). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=437164 on 6 June 2010 .
- Lorenz F. & Fehse D. (2009). The Living Ovulidae - A manual of the families of Allied Cowries: Ovulidae, Pediculariidae and Eocypraeidae. Conchbooks, Hackenheim, Germany
External links