Calliostoma annulatum
| Jeweled topsnail | |
|---|---|
| |
| Calliostoma annulatum crawling on a kelp leaf | |
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Vetigastropoda |
| Order: | Trochida |
| Superfamily: | Trochoidea |
| Family: | Calliostomatidae |
| Genus: | Calliostoma |
| Species: | C. annulatum
|
| Binomial name | |
| Calliostoma annulatum (Lightfoot, 1786)
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Calliostoma annulatum, also known as the purple-ring topsnail, blue-ring topsnail or jeweled topsnail, is a medium-sized sea snail with gills and an operculum.[1]
This is a sublittoral marine gastropod mollusk in the family Calliostomatidae. This snail lives off of the Pacific coast of North America.
Range of distribution[edit]
This top shell can be found in the littoral zone from Isla San Geronimo, Baja California, north to Forrester Island, Alaska.
Shell description[edit]
The shell height varies between 16 mm and 35 mm. The elevated-conic shell is imperforate and rather thin. This species is distinguished by its brilliantly colored shell, which is lustrous with a gold field, dotted with brown on the spiral rows of grains, the periphery or lower edge of each whorl encircled by a zone of violet or magenta stripes, the axis surrounded by a tract of the same. The brilliance of the colors fades somewhat once the animal dies. The thin shell shows numerous granulose spiral riblets, about 7 on the penultimate whorl, 9 or 10 on the base. It has few or none interstitial lirulae. The acute, reddish apex is minute. The sutures are slightly impressed. There are about 9 whorls, slightly convex, the last angular at periphery, flattened beneath. The rhomboidal aperture is oblique, fluted within. There is no umbilicus.[2] The head and foot of the animal has a yellow-orange color with brown spots. The color of the shell is gold with purple stripes.
Life habits[edit]
This species is fairly omnivorous, feeding seasonally on kelp, sessile fauna like bryozoans, and detritus.
References[edit]
- ^ Rosenberg, G. (2012). Calliostoma annulatum (Lightfoot, 1786). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=534197 on 2012-12-10
- ^ Tryon (1889), Manual of Conchology XI, Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia
- Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Calliostoma annulatum
- Race Rocks Taxonomy. Calliostoma annulatum
- Key to Invertebrates Found At or Near Walla Walla College Marine Station.
- Turgeon, D.D., et al. 1998. Common and scientific names of aquatic invertebrates of the United States and Canada. American Fisheries Society Special Publication 26 page(s), p. 61
- Calliostoma annulatum
External links[edit]
- "Calliostoma annulatum". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 15 January 2019.