Aesopus solidus explained

Aesopus solidus is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Columbellidae, the dove snails.

Description

The length of the shell attains 9.4 mm, its diameter 3.3 mm.

(Original description) The shell is solid and elongate. It is predominantly whitish with a few rusty spots below the suture and around the middle of the body whorl. It comprises six rounded whorls, including a smooth two-whorled protoconch. The aperture is wide and open, contracting anteriorly. The outer lip is rounded and simple, without a sinus. The inner lip is strongly curved and simple.

The spire whorls feature each approximately ten strong spiral lirae, separated by slightly narrower grooves. These lirae continue almost to the base of the body whorl.^[1]

Distribution

This marine species is endemic to Australia and occurs off Tasmania.

References

• May, W.L. 1923. An illustrated index of Tasmanian shells: with 47 plates and 1052 species. Hobart : Government Printer 100 pp.
• Cotton, B.C. 1957. Australian Recent and Tertiary Species of the Molluscan Family Pyrenidae. Adelaide : Privately published.
• Grove, S.J., Kershaw, R.C., Smith, B.J. & Turner, E. 2006. A Systematic List of the Marine Molluscs of Tasmania. Launceston, Tasmania : Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery 120 pp.

External links

• May, W.L. 1921. A Checklist of the Mollusca of Tasmania. Hobart, Tasmania : Government Printer 114 pp
• Grove, S. 2012. Columbellidae - Atiliinae: Aesopus solidus (May, 1911) ('solid dove-shell'). Website: A guide to the seashells and other marine molluscs of Tasmania

Notes and References

1. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/10108765#page/446/mode/1up May, W.L. 1910. New marine Mollusca. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania 48: 380-398