Engina alveolata

Engina alveolata
Shell of Engina alveolata
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Neogastropoda
Family: Pisaniidae
Genus: Engina
Species:
E. alveolata
Binomial name
Engina alveolata
(Kiener, 1836)
Synonyms
  • Engina histrio (Reeve, 1846)
  • Engina trifasciata (Reeve, 1846)
  • Purpura alveolata Kiener, 1835 superseded combination (original combination)
  • Ricinula forticostata Reeve, 1846
  • Ricinula histrio Reeve, 1846
  • Ricinula trifasciata Reeve, 1846

Engina alveolata is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Pisaniidae.

Description

Shell size attains 25 mm.

The shell is white in colour and striking in its ornamentation, being decorated with double rows of black nodules that alternate with intermediate rows of reddish-orange nodules. The columella is a deep reddish-brown and distinctly denticulate, turning lirate as it extends onto the parietal wall. The operculum is relatively small and translucent yellowish-brown, though it features a prominent dark brown central zone and a basal nucleus. Anatomically, the radula is equipped with pentacuspid rachidians and tricuspid laterals.

In some individuals, the characteristic reddish-orange nodules are occasionally missing altogether. It is precisely upon this variant form that the holotype Purpura alveolata was originally based.

Distribution

This species is rather common throughout the Pacific; also occurring off Queensland, Australia.

Juvenile

References

  1. 1 2 Engina alveolata (Kiener, 1836). Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 28 August 2010.
  2. ↑ Powell, A.W.B. (1971). "Powell". Powell. 6: 158. Retrieved 6 June 2026. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is under a CC BY 4.0 license.