Scutus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Scutus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| a live Scutus sinensis | |
.JPG) | |
| Dorsal view of a shell of Scutus breviculus | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Vetigastropoda |
| Order: | Lepetellida |
| Family: | Fissurellidae |
| Subfamily: | Emarginulinae |
| Genus: | Scutus Blainville, 1817 |
| Type species | |
| Scutus antipodes Montfort, 1810 | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Scutus is a genus of large sea snails or limpets with the common name "shield shells". These are marine gastropod molluscs in the family Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets and slit limpets.[1]
Both the common name and the scientific name reflect the fact that the shells of species in this genus resemble a Roman shield.
The animal itself has a large black mantle which usually completely covers the shell, giving the animal a superficially slug-like appearance.
