Odostomia conspicua
Encyclopedia
Odostomia conspicua is a species
of sea snail
, a marine
gastropod mollusk in the family
Pyramidellidae
, the pyrams and their allies.
The solid shellis opaque and glossy, with microscopic spiral and longitudinal striae. The shell has a pale cream color, varying to chocolate, and
more or less stained with madder. There are eight whorls
(besides 2 embryonic). The periphery is obtusely angulated, the angle showing at the base of the spire whorls. The umbilicus is extremely small, almost covered. The columellar tooth is strong and conspicuous. The outer lip
is grooved within.
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 sea snail
Sea snail
Sea snail is a common name for those snails that normally live in saltwater, marine gastropod molluscs....
, 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
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Pyramidellidae
Pyramidellidae
Pyramidellidae, common name the pyram family, or pyramid shells, is a voluminous taxonomic family of mostly small and minute ectoparasitic sea snails, marine heterobranch gastropod molluscs or micromolluscs....
, the pyrams and their allies.
Description
The shell grows to a length of 8.7 mm.The solid shellis opaque and glossy, with microscopic spiral and longitudinal striae. The shell has a pale cream color, varying to chocolate, and
more or less stained with madder. There are eight whorls
Whorl (mollusc)
A whorl is a single, complete 360° revolution or turn in the spiral growth of a mollusc shell. A spiral configuration of the shell is found in of numerous gastropods, but it is also found in shelled cephalopods including Nautilus, Spirula and the large extinct subclass of cephalopods known as the...
(besides 2 embryonic). The periphery is obtusely angulated, the angle showing at the base of the spire whorls. The umbilicus is extremely small, almost covered. The columellar tooth is strong and conspicuous. The outer lip
Lip (gastropod)
In the shell of a gastropod mollusk , the margin of the aperture is called the lip or the peristome. In other words, this is a term used to describe part of gastropod shell anatomy....
is grooved within.
Distribution
This species occurs in the following locations:- European waters (ERMS scope)
- Mediterranean Sea: Greek Exclusive Economic Zone
- Irish Exclusive economic Zone
- Portuguese Exclusive Economic Zone
- Spanish Exclusive Economic Zone
- United Kingdom Exclusive Economic Zone