Harpa major explained

Harpa major, common name large harp, or major harp,[1] is a species of large predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusks in the family Harpidae, the harp snails and their allies.[2]

Description

The size of the shell varies between 60 mm and 130 mm . The average adult reaches 3 1/2 inches and the shells have an ovate body with a heavily calloused spire. The columella, or the lower portion of the inside coil, has dark brown coloring.[1] It has a long siphon, a large mouth and a very large foot in proportion to its shell, which it uses to hunt its prey. A voracious nocturnal predator of benthic crustaceans on sandy bottoms, it can prey on crabs as large as itself.

Distribution

This marine species occurs off East Africa, Tanzania, Mozambique, the Mascarene Basin; off Hawaii

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. The Encyclopedia of Shells 1998 Kenneth R. Wye
  2. Rosenberg, G. (2015). Harpa major Röding, 1798. In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=208166 on 2016-02-28