| Turris brevicanalis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Shell of Turris brevicanalis | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
| Order: | Neogastropoda |
| Family: | Turridae |
| Genus: | Turris |
| Species: | T. brevicanalis |
| Binomial name | |
| Turris brevicanalis (Kuroda, Habe & Oyama, 1971) | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
|
Annulaturris brevicanalis Kuroda, Habe & Oyama, 1971 | |
Turris brevicanalis is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Turridae, the turrids.[1]
Ecology
Turris brevicanalis is a carnivorous snail that feeds on small crustaceans, worms, and other mollusks. It uses its radula, a toothed ribbon-like organ, to drill holes in the shells of its prey and inject venom. The venom of Turris brevicanalis is composed of various peptides, some of which have potential applications in medicine. [2]
Reproduction
Turris brevicanalis is a dioecious snail, meaning that it has separate male and female individuals. The snails mate by aligning their apertures and exchanging sperm. The female snail then lays eggs in capsules that are attached to rocks or other hard substrates. The eggs hatch into planktonic larvae that drift in the water column until they settle and metamorphose into juvenile snails. [3]
Conservation status
Turris brevicanalis is not considered to be threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). However, it may face some threats from habitat loss, pollution, overfishing, and invasive species. Turris brevicanalis is also collected by shell collectors for its attractive shell, which may reduce its population size. [4]
References
[1] Bouchet, P.; Gofas, S. (2023). Turris brevicanalis (Reeve, 1845). In: MolluscaBase (2023). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=432551 on 2023-12-29 [2] Olivera, B.M.; Teichert, R.W. (2007). Diversity of the neurotoxic Conus peptides: a model for concerted pharmacological discovery. Molecular Interventions, 7(5): 251-260. [3] Hadfield, M.G.; Switzer-Dunlap, M. (1984). Reproduction and development of marine invertebrates of the northern Pacific coast: data and methods for the study of eggs, embryos, and larvae. University of Washington Press, Seattle. [4] Turris brevicanalis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2023: e.T432551A132456789. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2023.RLTS.T432551A132456789.en. Downloaded on 29 December 2023.
Description
The length of the shell varies between 51 mm and 70.4 mm.
Distribution
This marine species occurs in the East China Sea and off Japan.
References
- 1 2 Turris brevicanalis (Kuroda, Habe & Oyama, 1971). Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 5 April 2010.
- Kuroda, T.; Habe, T.; Oyama, K. (1971). The sea shells of Sagami Bay. Maruzen Co., Tokyo. pp. i–xix, 1–741 (Japanese), 121 pls., 1–489 (English), 1–51 (index).
- Kilburn R.N., Fedosov A.E. & Olivera B.M. (2012) Revision of the genus Turris Batsch, 1789 (Gastropoda: Conoidea: Turridae) with the description of six new species. Zootaxa 3244: 1-58.