Douglassia moratensis
Species of gastropod
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Douglassia moratensis is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Drilliidae.[1]
| Douglassia moratensis | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
| Order: | Neogastropoda |
| Superfamily: | Conoidea |
| Family: | Drilliidae |
| Genus: | Douglassia |
| Species: | D. moratensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Douglassia moratensis Fallon, 2016 | |
Description
External Shell and Structure
The size of an adult shell varies between 10mm and 14mm.[2] Specimen photos show D. moratensis as fusiform with 8-9 whorls on the teleoconch and a high spire. The whorls are convex and rounded with strong axial ribs. The shell is primarily a caramel brown color with spiral bands of white, with the aperture lip and anterior half of the body whorl solidly white. The aperture has a short siphonal canal and is oblong with a wide posterior sinus.[3] D. moratensis has a corneous operculum.[4]
Live Snail
Species in the family Drilliidae have a radula that has five teeth in each row. The center row has a vestigial central tooth, the two medial rows have comb-like teeth, and the marginal rows have slender teeth.[4] Drilliidae species possess a venom gland.[5] D. moratensis has lens eyes.[6]
Distribution
This species occurs in the demersal zone of the Caribbean Sea off Honduras.[2] Only two known specimens have been found as of 2026[7], with depths listed at approximately 20 meters below the surface, in the benthic zone.[8][9][6]