Alcithoe arabica explained

Alcithoe arabica, common name Arabic volute, is a species of very large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Volutidae, the volutes.^[1]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand.^{[2] [3]}

Description

Shells of Alcithoe arabica can reach a height of 75- and a width of 88 mm. These shells are usually large, solid, fusiform, with relatively weak tubercles on the shoulder of the body whorl. The shell aperture is high with a thickened, rounded outer lip. The external surface is yellowish-white with chestnut zig-zac markings, forming five bands on the body whorl. These zig-zag markings were thought to resemble Arabic writing, giving rise to the name of the species.

There is no operculum in A. arabica. Individuals have a large grey to brown foot, flecked with purple and orange markings.^[4]

Ecology

These sea snails live in subtidal waters on soft sediments.^[4] Alcithoe arabica are able to move quite quickly on the soft substrate. They feed on bivalves that they smother using their large foot. The rounded, thin shelled eggs of this species are laid on stones or other shells.^[4]

Subspecies

• Alcithoe arabica jaculoides A. W. B. Powell, 1924 : synonym of Alcithoe jaculoides A. W. B. Powell, 1924 (superseded combination)

Synonyms

• Alcithoe (Alcithoe) arabica (Gmelin, 1791) (superseded combination)
• Alcithoe (Alcithoe) swainsoni Marwick, 1926 (junior subjective synonym)
• † Alcithoe acuta Marwick, 1926 (junior subjective synonym)
• † Alcithoe detrita Marwick, 1926 (junior subjective synonym)
• † Alcithoe lutea Marwick, 1924 (junior secondary homonym and synonym)
• Alcithoe motutarensis A. W. B. Powell, 1928 (junior subjective synonym)
• † Alcithoe nukumaruensis (P. Marshall & Murdoch, 1920) (junior subjective synonym)
• Alcithoe swainsoni Marwick, 1926
• Alcithoe motutaraensis Powell A. W. B., 1928
• † Alcithoe transformis Marwick, 1926 (junior subjective synonym)
• † Fulgoraria (Alcithoe) arabica (Gmelin, 1791) (superseded combination)
• Fulgoraraia (Alcithoe) depressa Suter, 1908
• Fulgoraria arabica (Gmelin, 1791) (superseded combination)
• † Fulgoraria turrita var. nukumaruensis P. Marshall & Murdoch, 1920 (junior subjective synonym)
• Fulguraria (Alcithoe) arabica (Gmelin, 1791) (superseded combination)
• Fulguraria (Alcithoe) depressa Suter, 1908 (junior subjective synonym)
• † Fulguraria (Alcithoe) turrita var. nukumaruensis P. Marshall & Murdoch, 1920 (junior subjective synonym)
• Notovoluta rossiteri Brazier, 1898
• Notovoluta rossiteri Swainson, 1821
• Notovoluta rossiteri Perry, 1810
• Voluta arabica Gmelin, 1791 (superseded combination)
• Voluta elongata Swainson, 1821 (junior subjective synonym)
• Voluta pacifica Perry, 1810 (junior subjective synonym)
• Voluta rossiteri Brazier, 1898 (junior subjective synonym)

Further reading

• Powell A W B, New Zealand Mollusca, William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979
• Bail, P., Limpus, A. 2005: A Conchological Iconography 11, The Recent Volutes of New Zealand, with a revision of the genus Alcithoe H. & A. Adams, 1853, ConchBooks, Hackenheim, Germany.
• Gordon, D. NZIB: New Zealand Inventory of Biodiversity.

External links

• Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Taxon: Alcithoe arabica (Gmelin, 1791) (Species)
• Catalogue of Life: Alcithoe arabica (Gmelin, 1791)
• New Zealand Mollusca: Alcithoe arabica (Gmelin, 1791)
  • Massey University NZ Fauna Scanned 3D model of Alcithoe arabica
• Natural History Museum Rotterdam: Alcithoe arabica (f) swainsoni Marwick, 1926

Notes and References

1. [Arthur William Baden Powell|Powell A. W. B.]
2. 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2011.01756.x . Phylogenetic information of genes, illustrated with mitochondrial data from a genus of gastropod molluscs . Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 104 . 770–785 . 2011 . Hills . Simon F.K. . Trewick . Steven A. . Morgan-Richards . Mary . 4 . free .
3. 10.1371/journal.pone.0052083 . DNA and Morphology Unite Two Species and 10 Million Year Old Fossils . PLOS ONE . 7 . 12 . e52083 . 2012 . Hills . Simon F.K. . Crampton . James S. . Trewick . Steven A. . Morgan-Richards . Mary . 3527379 . 23284880. 2012PLoSO...752083H . free .
4. http://www.marinelife.ac.nz/species/697 Marine Life - Snail, Arabic Volute