Austrolittorina unifasciata

Austrolittorina unifasciata
Austrolittorina unifasciata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
(unranked): clade Caenogastropoda
clade Hypsogastropoda
clade Littorinimorpha
Superfamily: Littorinoidea
Family: Littorinidae
Genus: Austrolittorina
Species: A. unifasciata
Binomial name
Austrolittorina unifasciata
(Gray, 1826)
Synonyms[1]
  • Litorina acuta Menke, 1843
  • Litorina diemensis Philippi, 1847
  • Littorina diemenensis Quoy & Gaimard, 1833
  • Littorina diemenensis var. pseudolaevis Nevill, 1885
  • Littorina mauritiana var. crassior Philippi, 1847
  • Littorina unifasciata Gray, 1826
  • Littorina (Austrolittorina) unifasciata unifasciata Rosewater, J. 1970
  • Melarapha diemenensis Iredale, T. & McMichael, D.F. 1962
  • Nodilittorina unifasciata (Gray, 1826)

Austrolittorina unifasciata, common name the banded periwinkle, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Littorinidae, the winkles or periwinkles.[1]

Description

The shell size varies between 10 mm and 25 mm

Distribution

This species is the only one of its genus found in Australia.[2] It is distributed in the Coral Sea off Queensland, Australia and in the Indian Ocean off Western Australia. This common periwinkle also lives on the rocky shore of New Zealand. It is also commonly found in South Pacific Islands such as Norfolk Island.

Ecology

This species of periwinkle lives in the splash zone and high intertidal zone, where it is found in clusters of individuals. The banded periwinkle grazes on lichen and algae. This small snail is eaten by crabs and birds.

References

  1. 1 2 Austrolittorina unifasciata (Gray, 1826). Reid, David G. (2010). Austrolittorina unifasciata (Gray, 1826). In: Bouchet, P.; Gofas, S.; Rosenberg, G. (2010) World Marine Mollusca database. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=446843 on 17 February 2011.
  2. Reid, D. G.; Williams, S. T. (2004). "The subfamily Littorininae (Gastropoda: Littorinidae) in the temperate Southern Hemisphere: The genera Nodilittorina, Austrolittorina and Afrolittorina". Records of the Australian Museum. 56: 75. doi:10.3853/j.0067-1975.56.2004.1393.

External links

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