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.
Common Hairy Triton
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Monoplex pilearis
Class:
Gastropoda
Order:
Littorinimorpha
Family:
Cymatiidae
Image Voucher:
ANSP 352290
Shell Information
Length (mm): 75-120
Dextral
Chirality:
This is a heavy shell that typically has 5 to 6 shell whorls. There are about 2 large rounded varices on each shell whorl. It has an alternating pattern of large and small spiral ribs that inserect soft axial folds. The axial folds have small knobs that are most apparent at the shoulder of each whorl. The inner aperture is folded on both sides which are typically white, while the rest of the inner aperture is often a dark brown. The outer shell is white or gray with splashes of orange and brown.
Description:
Ecological Information
Distribution:
Depth (m):
Florida to Brazil
25 to 360 meters
Diet:
Carnivore; They eat a variety of bivalves including giant clams (Tridacna).
Habitat:
Marine
Misc. Facts
Citations
MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Monoplex pilearis (Linnaeus, 1758). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=476533 on 2021-06-23
Morris, P. A. (1987). A field guide to shells: Atlantic and Gulf coasts and the West Indies (3rd ed.). Houghton Mifflin.
Jorrit H. Poelen, James D. Simons and Chris J. Mungall. (214). Global Biotic Interactions: An open infrastructure to share and analyze species-interaction datasets. Ecological Informatics. https://doi.org/1.116/j.ecoinf.214.8.5.