Benthofascis biconica

Benthofascis biconica is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conorbidae.[1]

Benthofascis biconica
Original drawing of a shell of Benthofascis biconica
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Neogastropoda
Superfamily: Conoidea
Family: Conorbidae
Genus: Benthofascis
Species:
B. biconica
Binomial name
Benthofascis biconica
(Hedley, 1903)
Synonyms[1]
  • Bathytoma biconica Hedley, 1903 (original combination)
  • Teleochilus biconicus Hedley, 1903

These snails are predatory and venomous. They are capable of "stinging" humans, therefore live ones should be handled carefully or not at all.

Description

The length of an adult shell varies between 20 mm and 42 mm. The diameter of the holotype is 8 mm.

(Original description) The solid shell has a biconical shape. It is slightly angled at the shoulder. The shell contains more than six whorls (the shell is too worn in order to describe the protoconch). The colour of the shell is apparently flesh-tint. Below the shoulder the shell is furrowed by numerous fine spiral grooves, crossed by arcuate growth lines. Above the furrows are broader and fewer. The aperture is narrow. The sinus is sutural and deep. The outer lip (broken in my example) appears to have curved far forward. The columella is angled in the centre, spreading broadly and with a small anterior plication.[2]

Distribution

This marine species is endemic to Australia and occurs off New South Wales.

References
  1. WoRMS (2015). Benthofascis biconica (Hedley, 1903). In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=433132 on 2016-07-20
  2. Hedley, C. 1903. Scientific results of the trawling expedition of H.M.C.S. "Thetis" off the coast of New South Wales in February and March, 1898, pt. 6. Memoirs of the Australian Museum 4(1): 326–402
  • Tucker, J. K.; Tenorio, M. J.; Stahlschmidt, P. (2011), "The genus Benthofascis (Gastropoda: Conoidea): A revision with descriptions of new species", Zootaxa, 2796: 1, doi:10.11646/zootaxa.2796.1.1
  • Hedley, C. 1922. A revision of the Australian Turridae. Records of the Australian Museum 13(6): 213–359, pls 42–56
  • Laseron, C. 1954. Revision of the New South Wales Turridae (Mollusca). Australian Zoological Handbook. Sydney : Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales 1–56, pls 1–12.
  • Powell, A.W.B. 1968. The Turrid shellfish of Australian waters. Australian Natural History 1 16: 1–6
  • Wilson, B. 1994. Australian Marine Shells. Prosobranch Gastropods. Kallaroo, WA : Odyssey Publishing Vol. 2 370 pp.
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