Monoplex pilearis

Monoplex pilearis, common name the hairy triton, is a species of medium-sized predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cymatiidae.[1]

Monoplex pilearis
A shell of Monoplex pilearis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Littorinimorpha
Family: Cymatiidae
Genus: Monoplex
Species:
M. pilearis
Binomial name
Monoplex pilearis
Synonyms[1]
  • Cymatium (Monoplex) pileare orientalis Garcia-Talavera, 1987
  • Cymatium (Septa) pileare (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Cymatium (Septa) pileare martinianum (d'Orbigny, 1847)
  • Cymatium martinianum (d'Orbigny, 1847)
  • Cymatium pileare (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Cymatium vestitum insulare Pilsbry, 1921
  • Eutritonium pileare (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Litiopa effusa C. B. Adams, 1850
  • Murex pilearis Linnaeus, 1758
  • Saginafusus pricei perficus Iredale, 1931
  • Triton haemastoma Valenciennes, 1832
  • Triton martinianum d’Orbigny, 1842
  • Triton martinianus d'Orbigny, 1847
  • Triton veliei Calkins, 1878
  • Tritonium (Simpulum) beccarii Tapparone-Canefri, 1875
  • Tritonium olearium Röding, 1798

Distribution

This species is widespread in the Atlantic, in the Red Sea and in the Indo-Western Pacific from East and South Africa, to eastern Polynesia, north to southern Japan and Hawaii and south to southern Queensland.[2][3][4][5]

Habitat

This tropical benthic sea snails can be found at a depth range of 0 – 50 m.[4] They mainly live on hard and coarse detritic bottoms, in coral reef areas.[5]

Description

Shells of Monoplex pilearis can reach a size of 38–140 millimetres (1.5–5.5 in).[2] These large shells are elongate with a tall spire and a strongly inflated body whorl. They show a yellowish-brown surface with chestnut- brown spiral ribs. The columella and the aperture are dark brown with white teeth.[6] The outer sculpture is relatively fine, with long inner ridges of the outer lip, extending deep into the aperture.[5]

Biology

These sea snails are active predators. They are reported as feeding on bivalves. Eggs are laid on the substrate in large capsules clustered in masses.[5]

A shell of Monoplex pilearis

References
  1. Monoplex pilearis (Linnaeus, 1758). Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 5 December 2018.
  2. Hardy's Internet Guide to Marine Gastropods
  3. Galli C.: WMSDB - Worldwide Mollusc Species Data Base
  4. Sea Life Base
  5. Cymatium pileare at FAO.org
  6. Angeline Myra Keen Sea Shells of Tropical West America: Marine Mollusks from Baja California to Peru
  • Beu, A. (2010). Catalogue of Tonnoidea



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