Nebularia edentula
| Nebularia edentula | |
|---|---|
| |
| Dorsal view of a shell of Nebularia edentula | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
| Order: | Neogastropoda |
| Family: | Mitridae |
| Genus: | Nebularia |
| Species: | N. edentula
|
| Binomial name | |
| Nebularia edentula (Swainson, 1823)
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| Synonyms[1] | |
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Nebularia edentula, common name the toothless mitre, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Mitridae, the miters or miter snails.[1]
Description
[edit]The shell size varies between 20 millimetres (0.79 in) and 40 millimetres (1.6 in). One recorded specimen had a body mass of 6.93 g and a volume of 3.96 cm³.[2]
The shell is cylindrically fusiform (spindle-shaped). As suggested by its specific epithet edentula (meaning "toothless"), this species is known for a lack of strong columellar folds that are usually characteristic of the family Mitridae. The shell coloration typically consists of a cream or yellowish background patterned with reddish-brown spiral bands or irregular blotches.
The living animal possesses lens eyes and moves via mucus-mediated gliding.[2]
Distribution
[edit]This species is distributed in the Indo-West Pacific. Locations where it has been recorded include:
- The Mascarene Basin (including Mauritius)
- Aldabra
- Mozambique
- The Philippines
- French Polynesia (specifically the Tuamotu Archipelago)[3]
Ecology
[edit]Nebularia edentula is a benthic species that lives in tropical, marine environments. It inhabits the neritic zone.
Like other members of the Mitridae, it is a carnivorous predator. The species utilizes sexual reproduction; it is a non-broadcast spawner, meaning it likely lays capsules rather than releasing eggs directly into the water column. The life cycle does not include a free-swimming trochophore stage.[4]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Nebularia edentula (Swainson, 1823). Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 11 December 2018.
- ^ a b "Nebularia edentula (Swainson 1823) attributes". Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
- ^ "Nebularia edentula". SeaLifeBase. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
- ^ "Ecology of Nebularia edentula". SeaLifeBase. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
Bibliography
[edit]- Cernohorsky W. O. (1976). The Mitrinae of the World. Indo-Pacific Mollusca 3(17) page(s): 469.
- Drivas, J. & M. Jay (1988). Coquillages de La Réunion et de l'île Maurice.
- Filmer R.M. (2001). A Catalogue of Nomenclature and Taxonomy in the Living Conidae 1758 - 1998. Backhuys Publishers, Leiden. 388pp.
- Poppe, G.T. (2008) Philippine Marine Mollusks. Vol. 2. Hackenheim: ConchBooks.