Bullia rhodostoma explained

Bullia rhodostoma, common name the smooth plough shell, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Nassariidae, the nassa mud snails or dog whelks.

Description

The length of the shell varies between 25 mm and 50 mm. Bullia rhodostoma are a slow growing, long-lived species with a life span of 15-20 years, following a 0.79 mortality rate, and 0.21 survival rate in their first 3 years. Successful adaptation has occurred because Bullia rhodostoma uses their single foot for crawling fast to search for food (usually stranded organisms, as they are carnivores), burying in the sand and surfing in the water on the shore. ^{[1] [2]}

Distribution

This marine species occurs off South Africa.

Further reading

• Book: Cernohorsky . Walter O. . 1984 . Systematics of the family Nassariidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) . Bulletin of the Auckland Institute and Museum . 14 . . 682230135 .
• Book: Marais . J.P. . Kilburn . R.N. . Nassariidae . 138–173 . Marais . Alwyn P . Seccombe . Alan D . Identification guide to the seashells of South Africa . 2010 . Centre for Molluscan Studies . 978-0-620-48114-4 . 843992336 .
• Harris . Linda R. . Abrahams . Kelly . Bezuidenhout . Karien . Nel . Ronel . The relative role of intrinsic and extrinsic factors driving alongshore movement of swash-riding smooth plough shells, Bullia rhodostoma . Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology . 1 January 2017 . 486 . 77–86 . 10.1016/j.jembe.2016.09.009 .
• Da Silva . F.M . Hodgson . A.N . Fine structure of the pedal muscle of the whelk Bullia rhodostoma reeve: Correlation with function . Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Physiology . January 1987 . 87 . 1 . 143–149 . 10.1016/0300-9629(87)90437-3 .
• Muteveri . T . Matthee . CA . Bowie . RCK . von der Heyden . S . High population connectivity and Pleistocene range expansion in the direct-developing plough shell Bullia rhodostoma along the South African coast . African Journal of Marine Science . 2 January 2015 . 37 . 1 . 21–31 . 10.2989/1814232X.2015.1010577 . 85436924 .
• McLachlan . A. . Cooper . C. . van der Horst . G. . Growth and Production of Bullia Rhodostoma on an Open Sandy Beach in Algoa Bay . South African Journal of Zoology . January 1979 . 14 . 1 . 49–53 . 10.1080/02541858.1979.11447647 .

External links

• Branch, G.M. et al. (2002). Two Oceans. 5th impression. David Philip, Cape Town & Johannesburg

Notes and References

1. Silva et al. 1987
2. Web site: Bullia rhodostoma . 2022-09-28 . invasions.si.edu.