Malacology
Malacology is the study of mollusks. This includes animals like octopus, snails, slugs, and clams. It is the second largest phylum of animals, making them one of the most successful groups on the planet. There are over 80,000 described species of mollusks with many more left to be discovered. Mullusca is composed of 8 recognized classes including Cephalopoda, Gastropoda, Polyplacophora, Scaphapoda, Monoplacophorans, the Aplacophorans, Caudofoveata and Solenogastres, and Bivalvia.
Glossy Dove Shell
(Lamarck, 1822)
Nitidella nitida
Class:
Order:
Family:
Gastropoda
Neogastropoda
Columbellidae
Image Voucher:
ANSP 477030
Shell Information
Maximum length (mm): 16
Dextral
Chirality:
The whorls of the spire blend together smoothly to form a short spire that comes to point (depending on the presence of a protoconch). It has a orange to brown color with irregular white spots.
Description:
Ecological Information
Distribution:
Depth (m):
East Florida to Brazil
0 to 2 meters
Diet:
Habitat:
Marine; Hard substrates and among seagrass
Misc. Facts
Citations
MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Nitidella nitida (Lamarck, 1822). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=420006 on 2021-06-23
Rosenberg, G., F. Moretzsohn, and E. F. Garc?a. 29. Gastropoda (Mollusca) of the Gulf of Mexico, Pp. 579?699 in Felder, D.L. and D.K. Camp (eds.), Gulf of Mexico?Origins, Waters, and Biota. Biodiversity. Texas A&M University Press, College Station, Texas.
Rosenberg, G. 2009. Malacolog 4.1.1: A Database of Western Atlantic Marine Mollusca. [WWW database (version 4.1.1)] URL http://www.malacolog.org/