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.
Junonia
(Lamarck, 1804)
Scaphella junonia
Class:
Gastropoda
Order:
Neogastropoda
Family:
Volutidae
Image Voucher:
ANSP 411412
Shell Information
Length (mm): 75-126
Dextral
Chirality:
The junonia shell has a relatively slender shell with 5 to 6 shell whorls. The apex of this moderately sized spire is blunt. The lower part of the inner aperture has up to four folds leading into the shell. This shell is white to tan, sometimes with a pink hue. It has spiral lines of rectangular brown markings.
Description:
Ecological Information
Distribution:
Depth (m):
North Carolina to Gulf of Mexico
30 to 110 meters
Diet:
Carnivore
Habitat:
Marine
Misc. Facts
It is the offical state shell of Alabama. This shell is highly sought after by shellers due to its beauty and rarity. Its rarity is due to the Junonia living in relatiely deep water making it uncommon for the shell to wash onto shore.
Citations
MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Scaphella junonia (Lamarck, 1804). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=527749 on 2021-06-23
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/
Morris, P. A. (1987). A field guide to shells: Atlantic and Gulf coasts and the West Indies (3rd ed.). Houghton Mifflin.