Australian Pheasant
Drawing of a shell of Phasianella australis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Vetigastropoda
Order: Trochida
Superfamily: Trochoidea
Family: Phasianellidae
Genus: Phasianella
Species:
P. australis
Binomial name
Phasianella australis
Gmelin, 1788
Synonyms
  • Buccinum tritonis Chemnitz, 1788
  • Bulimus phasianus Perry, G., 1810
  • Phasianella bulimoides Lamarck
  • Phasianella decorata Chenu
  • Phasianella delicatula Tenison-Woods, J.E., 1877
  • Phasianella lehmanni Menke, 1830
  • Phasianella picta DeBlain
  • Phasianella preissi Menke, 1830
  • Phasianella tritonis Chemnitz, 1788
  • Phasianella varia Lamarck

Phasianella australis, common names the Australian pheasant, painted lady, and pheasant snail, is a medium-sized to large species of sea snail with a calcareous operculum and a colorfully patterned shell, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Phasianellidae.

Description

This is the largest shell in the genus Phansianelle, with its height varying between 40 mm and 100 mm. The rather thin shell is elongatedand has a pointed-ovate shape. The conical spire is elevated. The shell contains 7-8 somewhat convex whorls. These are slightly flattened below the sutures. The long-ovate aperture is somewhat pyriform and forms usually less than half the total length of shell. The outer lip is thin. The columella shows more or less a white shining callus. The surface of the shell is variously longitudinally clouded and transversely articulated with red and purple olive on a polished flesh-colored, cream or white ground. The color pattern is extremely variable.[1]

Distribution

This marine species occurs off Australia and Tasmania.

References

  • Rosenberg, G. 1992. Encyclopedia of Seashells. Dorset: New York. 224 pp.
  • Wilson, B. (1993). Australian Marine Shells. Prosobranch Gastropods. Kallaroo, WA : Odyssey Publishing. Vol.1 1st Edn
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Phasianella australis.
  • Australian Govt
  • Sea Snails Species
  • Australian Government Species Bank
  • "Phasianella australis". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.