Herpetopoma bellum explained

Herpetopoma bellum is a species of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chilodontaidae.[1]

Description

The size of the shell varies between 4 mm and 5.5 mm.The small, solid, thick shell has a globose-conic shape, evenly grained all over. it is blackish or pink varied with darker. It is imperforate when adult, and has a groove at the place of the umbilicus. The short spire is conic. The apical whorl is smooth, the following whorl has three granose lirae, the next with 3 or 4; the penultimate has 7 or 8 equal, grained lirae. The interstices are narrow. The body whorl has ten such lirae. The teleoconch contains 5 convex whorls. The last one is globose, descending at the aperture. The rounded aperture is nacre with steel-blue and dark red reflections. It is lirate inside. The concave columella terminates in a tooth, below which there is a narrow notch, and another tubercle or tooth on the basal lip equal in size to the columellar denticle.[2]

Distribution

This marine species occurs off New Zealand.,[3] Chatham Island and Tasmania.

Notes and References

  1. Rosenberg, G. (2012). Herpetopoma bellum. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=598367 on 2012-05-24
  2. https://archive.org/details/manualofconcholo111tryo Tryon (1889), Manual of Conchology XI, Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia
  3. [Arthur William Baden Powell|Powell A. W. B.]