Architectonica maculata
Species of gastropod
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Architectonica maculata is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Architectonicidae, which are known as the staircase shells or sundials.[1]
| Architectonica maculata | |
|---|---|
| |
| Shell of Architectonica maculata | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Family: | Architectonicidae |
| Genus: | Architectonica |
| Species: | A. maculata |
| Binomial name | |
| Architectonica maculata (Link, 1807) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Description
(Original description of Solarium fragile in Latin) The shell is round and disk-shaped; the whorls are encircled by four rows of tubercles (small knobs); the uppermost and the lowermost are painted brown, while the middle ones are pearly. At the periphery it is angular and finely notched. The base is swollen. The umbilicus is open, surrounded by a ring of small, sharp white crenulations; the umbilical area is smooth; and the aperture is triangular.[2]
Distribution
This marine species has a wide distribution and can be found in Southeast Asia, the Philippines, Indonesia; also off Australia, the Solomon Islands and Hong Kong.
