Odostomia convexa
Encyclopedia
Odostomia convexa is a species
of sea snail
, a marine
gastropod mollusk in the family
Pyramidellidae
, the pyrams and their allies.
, form a moderately elevated helicoid spire, whose axis is at right angles to that of the succeeding turns, in the first of which it is about one-fifth immersed. The six post-nuclear whorls overhang and are strongly contracted at the sutures, appressed at the summit, angulated at the posterior extremity of the anterior third. They are marked, between the sutures, strong, rounded, sinuous, almost vertical axial ribs, of which 16 occur upon the second and third, 18 upon the fourth, and 22 upon the penultimate turn. The intercostal spaces are a little more than twice as wide as the ribs, crossed by three equal and equally spaced cords, which are about one-half as strong as the ribs. The first of these cords is at the periphery, the third at the posterior termination of the anterior third between the sutures, which it renders strongly angulated. The sutures are constricted. The periphery and the base of the body whorl
are well rounded, marked by the continuation of the axial ribs, and about eight slender spiral lirations. The aperture
is broadly oval. The posterior angle is acute. The outer lip
is thin, showing the external sculpture within. The columella is slender, slightly curved, decidedly oblique and revolute, and is provided with a slender fold at its insertion. The parietal wall is covered with a strong callus.
, Mexico.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of sea snail
Sea snail
Sea snail is a common name for those snails that normally live in saltwater, marine gastropod molluscs....
, a marine
Marine (ocean)
Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology...
gastropod mollusk in the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Pyramidellidae
Pyramidellidae
Pyramidellidae, common name the pyram family, or pyramid shells, is a voluminous taxonomic family of mostly small and minute ectoparasitic sea snails, marine heterobranch gastropod molluscs or micromolluscs....
, the pyrams and their allies.
Description
The small, slender shell is elongate-conic. It measures 2.4 mm. The two and one-half nuclear whorlsWhorl (mollusc)
A whorl is a single, complete 360° revolution or turn in the spiral growth of a mollusc shell. A spiral configuration of the shell is found in of numerous gastropods, but it is also found in shelled cephalopods including Nautilus, Spirula and the large extinct subclass of cephalopods known as the...
, form a moderately elevated helicoid spire, whose axis is at right angles to that of the succeeding turns, in the first of which it is about one-fifth immersed. The six post-nuclear whorls overhang and are strongly contracted at the sutures, appressed at the summit, angulated at the posterior extremity of the anterior third. They are marked, between the sutures, strong, rounded, sinuous, almost vertical axial ribs, of which 16 occur upon the second and third, 18 upon the fourth, and 22 upon the penultimate turn. The intercostal spaces are a little more than twice as wide as the ribs, crossed by three equal and equally spaced cords, which are about one-half as strong as the ribs. The first of these cords is at the periphery, the third at the posterior termination of the anterior third between the sutures, which it renders strongly angulated. The sutures are constricted. The periphery and the base of the body whorl
Body whorl
Body whorl is part of the morphology of a coiled gastropod mollusk.- In gastropods :In gastropods, the body whorl, or last whorl, is the most recently-formed and largest whorl of a spiral or helical shell, terminating in the aperture...
are well rounded, marked by the continuation of the axial ribs, and about eight slender spiral lirations. The aperture
Aperture (mollusc)
The aperture is an opening in certain kinds of mollusc shells: it is the main opening of the shell, where part of the body of the animal emerges for locomotion, feeding, etc....
is broadly oval. The posterior angle is acute. The outer lip
Lip (gastropod)
In the shell of a gastropod mollusk , the margin of the aperture is called the lip or the peristome. In other words, this is a term used to describe part of gastropod shell anatomy....
is thin, showing the external sculpture within. The columella is slender, slightly curved, decidedly oblique and revolute, and is provided with a slender fold at its insertion. The parietal wall is covered with a strong callus.
Distribution
The type specimen of this marine species was found in the Pacific Ocean off MazatlánMazatlán
Mazatlán is a city in the Mexican state of Sinaloa; the surrounding municipio for which the city serves as the municipal seat is Mazatlán Municipality. It is located at on the Pacific coast, across from the southernmost tip of the Baja California peninsula.Mazatlán is a Nahuatl word meaning...
, Mexico.