Blue periwinkle
Encyclopedia
The Blue Periwinkle or Nodilittorina unifasciata Grey, 1826, is a species
of small sea snail
, a marine
gastropod mollusk in the family Littorinidae
, the periwinkles.
The common name
of this snail derives from the pale bluish-grey color of the shell, which ranges in adult size from 10 mm to 16 mm.
and New Zealand
.Is also commonly found in South Pacific Islands such as Norfolk Island.
, where it is found in clusters of individuals. The blue periwinkle grazes on lichen
and algae. This small snail is eaten by crabs and bird
s.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of small sea snail
Snail
Snail is a common name applied to most of the members of the molluscan class Gastropoda that have coiled shells in the adult stage. When the word is used in its most general sense, it includes sea snails, land snails and freshwater snails. The word snail without any qualifier is however more often...
, a marine
Marine (ocean)
Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology...
gastropod mollusk in the family Littorinidae
Littorinidae
Littorinidae is a taxonomic family of over 200 species of sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Littorinimorpha, commonly known as periwinkles and found world-wide.-Names:...
, the periwinkles.
The common name
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
of this snail derives from the pale bluish-grey color of the shell, which ranges in adult size from 10 mm to 16 mm.
Distribution
This common periwinkle lives in AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.Is also commonly found in South Pacific Islands such as Norfolk Island.
Ecology
This species of periwinkle lives in the splash zone and high intertidal zoneIntertidal zone
The intertidal zone is the area that is above water at low tide and under water at high tide . This area can include many different types of habitats, with many types of animals like starfish, sea urchins, and some species of coral...
, where it is found in clusters of individuals. The blue periwinkle grazes on lichen
Lichen
Lichens are composite organisms consisting of a symbiotic organism composed of a fungus with a photosynthetic partner , usually either a green alga or cyanobacterium...
and algae. This small snail is eaten by crabs and bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s.
External links
- Nomenclature: http://data.acnatsci.org/obis/search.php/7734
- Other information: http://www.anu.edu.au/BoZo/KioloaEcyclopaedia/metazoa/mollusca/gastropoda/MolluscaNodolittorina_unifasciata.htm
- Image of a cluster of individuals: http://www.amonline.net.au/invertebrates/mal/gallery/nodilit2.htm