Laetifautor spinulosus
Species of gastropod
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Laetifautor spinulosus, common name the spine top shell, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk, in the family Calliostomatidae within the superfamily Trochoidea, the top snails, turban snails and their allies.[1] This Indo-Pacific species exhibits a distinctive conical shell with prominent spiral cords bearing acute, scalelike spines—a morphology adapted for stability in high-energy intertidal zones. Distributed from Japan to New Caledonia, it inhabits coral rubble and algal substrates at 5–50 m depths.[2] Like many calliostomatids, it is a selective feeder on sponges and bryozoans, using its specialized radula to scrape prey. Molecular studies confirm its placement in the resurrected genus Laetifautor, distinguished by mitochondrial 16S rRNA sequences.[3][4]
| Laetifautor spinulosus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Vetigastropoda |
| Order: | Trochida |
| Superfamily: | Trochoidea |
| Family: | Calliostomatidae |
| Subfamily: | Calliostomatinae |
| Genus: | Laetifautor |
| Species: | L. spinulosus |
| Binomial name | |
| Laetifautor spinulosus (Tate, 1893) | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
|
Calliostoma spinulosum Tate, 1893 | |
Description
The length of the shell attains 7 mm.
Distribution
This marine species occurs off Southern Australia and Western Australia.