Maorimorpha sulcata

Maorimorpha sulcata is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Mitromorphidae.[1]

Maorimorpha sulcata
Original image of a shell (and sculpture) of Maorimorpha sulcata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Neogastropoda
Superfamily: Conoidea
Family: Mitromorphidae
Genus: Maorimorpha
Species:
M. sulcata
Binomial name
Maorimorpha sulcata
(G.B. Sowerby III, 1892)
Synonyms[1]
  • Cominella sulcata G. B. Sowerby III, 1892 (original combination)
  • Daphnella (?) sulcata Smith, 1904
  • Daphnella sulcata Turton, 1932

Description

The length of the shell attains 9.6 mm, its diameter 3.5 mm.

(Original description) The high and turreted light orange-yellow spire is subfusiform. The protoconch consists of 1½ whorls, the teleoconch 4 slightly convex whorls that are narrowly shouldered at the suture. The upper half of the whorls is smooth, and the lower half spirally grooved. The orthocline axial ribs are crossed on each whorl by 7–8 strong spiral lirae forming small tubercles. The body whorl is slightly inflated and shows 9–14 spiral lirae. The outer lip shows 3–5 denticles..The white aperture is ovate. The peristome is simple and slightly incrassate.[2]

This species varies in color, breadth and strength of the shoulder both individually and geographically. it is the largest species in this genus.[3]

Distribution

This marine species occurs off the Eastern Cape, Southern KwaZulu-Natal and Cape Agulhas, South Africa

References
  1. Rosenberg, G. (2012). Maorimorpha sulcata (Sowerby III, 1892). In: MolluscaBase (2017). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=434373 on 2018-02-09
  2. G.B. Sowerby III (1892) Marine shells of South Africa - a catalogue of all the known species This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  3. R.N. Kilburn, Turridae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) of southern Africa and Mozambique. Part 3. Subfamily Borsoniinae; Ann. Natal Mus. Vol. 27(2) (1986)
  • Steyn, D.G. & Lussi, M. (1998) Marine Shells of South Africa. An Illustrated Collector’s Guide to Beached Shells. Ekogilde Publishers, Hartebeespoort, South Africa, ii + 264 pp
  • Petit, R. E. (2009). George Brettingham Sowerby, I, II & III: their conchological publications and molluscan taxa. Zootaxa. 2189: 1–218
  • Tucker, J.K. (2004). "Catalog of recent and fossil turrids (Mollusca: Gastropoda)" (PDF). Zootaxa. 682: 1–1295.
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