Eulithidium comptum

Eulithidium comptum , the Californian banded pheasant shell, is a species of small sea snail with calcareous opercula, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Phasianellidae, the pheasant snails.[1][2]

Eulithidium comptum
Drawing with an apertural view of a shell of Eulithidium comptum
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Vetigastropoda
Order: Trochida
Superfamily: Trochoidea
Family: Phasianellidae
Genus: Eulithidium
Species:
E. comptum
Binomial name
Eulithidium comptum
(Gould, 1855)
Synonyms[1]
  • Tricolia compta (Gould, 1855)
  • Usatricolia compta (Gould, 1855)

Description

This small, high-spired shell grows to a height varying between 6 mm and 10 mm. It has a pointed-oblong shape. It is somewhat solid, yellowish, pinkish or whitish, more or less clouded longitudinally with purple, dull pink or gray. It is marked with numerous narrow close revolving descending lines of purple, pink or drab, sometimes conspicuously flammulated below the sutures, and broadly transversely fasciate on its base. The 5-6 smooth whorls are closely coiled above, with shallow sutures. The body whorl is more rapidly descending, separated by a deep suture. The aperture is usually less than half the length of shell. It is very oblique, short ovate with the inner margin arcuate. The narrow umbilical region is excavated and generally minutely perforate. The operculum is white, inside stained with blue above.

The radula is similar to that of Tricolia pullus (Linnaeus, 1758) but has only 4 lateral teeth on either side, by atrophy of the narrow outer one.[3]

Distribution

It is found in abundant numbers on eelgrass in shallow water in the Pacific Ocean from Southern California to northern Baja California.

References
  1. Rosenberg, G. (2012). Eulithidium comptum (Gould, 1855). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=528059 on 2013-02-10
  2. Turgeon, D.D., et al. 1998. Common and scientific names of aquatic invertebrates of the United States and Canada. American Fisheries Society Special Publication 26
  3. G.W. Tryon (1888), Manual of Conchology X; Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia (described as Phasianella compta)
  • Abbott R. T. (1974). American Seashells. The marine mollusca of the Atlantic and Pacific coast of North America. II edit. Van Nostrand, New York 663 p. + 24 pl: page(s): 62
  • Turgeon, D.D., et al. 1998. Common and scientific names of aquatic invertebrates of the United States and Canada. American Fisheries Society Special Publication 26 page(s): 59
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