Zonaria petitiana
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Zonaria petitiana | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Shell of Zonaria petitiana (specimen at the Natural History Museum Rotterdam) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
| Order: | Littorinimorpha |
| Family: | Cypraeidae |
| Genus: | Zonaria |
| Species: | Z. petitiana |
| Binomial name | |
| Zonaria petitiana (Crosse, 1872) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Zonaria petitiana is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.[1]
- Synonyms
- Zonaria petitiana senegalensis F. A. Schilder, 1928: synonym of Zonaria pyrum insularum F. A. Schilder, 1928
Some authors consider Z. petitiana a subspecies of Zonaria pyrum, e.g. Lorenz and Hubert, 2000, although Lorenz 2002 considers it a valid species.
Description
The length of the shell varies between 17 mm and 38 mm.
(Original description in Latin) The shell exhibits an ovate-pyriform shape, characterized by a somewhat turgid and thickened form. It possesses a glossy surface and tapers towards both extremities, culminating in a slight beak. The upper surface displays a chestnut-brown coloration, irregularly suffused with large, rounded white spots. The sides and extremities exhibit a broad flesh-colored hue. The lower surface appears flatter, displaying a flesh-colored tone. The columellar margin is adorned with 16 white teeth, while the external margin features 18. The spire is immersed and inconspicuous, with a slight concavity. The aperture is narrow, slightly sinuous, and exhibits a bluish-white coloration internally.[2]
