Rhinoclavis

Rhinoclavis
Apertural view of a shell of Rhinoclavis vertagus.
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: incertae sedis
Family: Cerithiidae
Subfamily: Cerithiinae
Genus: Rhinoclavis
Swainson, 1840
Species

See text

Synonyms
  • Cerithium (Semivertagus) Cossmann, 1889
  • Clava Fabricius, 1823
  • Ochetoclava Woodring, 1928
  • Vertagus Schumacher, 1817

Rhinoclavis is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Cerithiidae, the ceriths.

This species is of medium to large size, measuring between 2 and 3½ inches. It has a sturdy and thick body with a regular conical spire that is very high and turreted. The whorls are almost flat, and the suture is only weakly incised. The almond-shaped aperture has a slightly tapered lip, but it is never sharp.

Occurrence

Species in this genus occur throughout the Indo-Pacific, the Marshall Islands, the Solomon Islands, the Philippines, Australia and the Gulf of Aqaba. These deposit-feeding gastropods can be found in clearer shallow water in coral reefs, preferring sandy to muddy bottoms.

Species

According to the World Register of Marine Species (WORMS), Rhinoclavis consists of the following subgenera and species:

Species brought into synonymy

References

  1. ↑ Swainson W. (1840). Treat. Malacol. 157, 315.
  2. 1 2 3 Gofas, S. (2012). Rhinoclavis. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=137762 on 2012-07-12
  3. ↑ Sabelli, Bruno (1980). Simon and Schuster's Guide to Shells. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-0-671-25320-2.

Further reading