Vitularia salebrosa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Vitularia salebrosa | |
|---|---|
_-_Muricidae_-_Mollusc_shell.jpeg) | |
| shell of Vitularia salebrosa (specimen atNaturalis Biodiversity Center) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
| Order: | Neogastropoda |
| Family: | Muricidae |
| Subfamily: | Muricopsinae |
| Genus: | Vitularia |
| Species: | V. salebrosa |
| Binomial name | |
| Vitularia salebrosa (King, 1832) | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
Vitularia salebrosa is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.[1]
The length of the shell varies between 24 mm and 80 mm.
The shell is white or yellowish-brown, sometimes banded. The occasional varix is much thickened, being composed of a number of parallel, close laminae. The outer lip and the columella are tinged with yellow. The operculum is diamond-shaped, with two short sides above and two long ones below, the angles rounded. [4]
Distribution
V. salebrosa is found on the tropical Pacific coast of America, from Baja California to Peru. It lives under rocks in the intertidal and subtidal zones.[5]: 143
Feeding
This species is an ectoparasite of other molluscs. Members of the species bore a hole through the host's shell and suck its blood or digestive organ (depending on the prey) over a period of months.[6][5] Consistent with their suctorial feeding habit, they have a long proboscis, reduced buccal mass, and simplified digestive system compared to other Muricids.[5]
Prey include the oyster Ostrea cf. fisheri , the limpet-like slipper shell Crucibulum spinosum, and the vermetid gastropod Tripsycha (Eualetes) tulipa.[6]
