Phasianella australis

Australian Pheasant
Drawing of a shell of Phasianella australis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Class: Gastropoda
(unranked): clade Vetigastropoda
Superfamily: Phasianelloidea
Family: Turbinidae
Subfamily: Phasianellinae
Genus: Phasianella
Species: P. australis
Binomial name
Phasianella australis
Gmelin, 1788
Synonyms
  • Buccinum tritonis Chemnitz, 1788
  • Bulimus phasianus Perry, G., 1810
  • Phasianella bulimoides Lamarck
  • Phasianella decorata Chenu
  • Phasianella delicatula Tenison-Woods, J.E., 1877
  • Phasianella lehmanni Menke, 1830
  • Phasianella picta DeBlain
  • Phasianella preissi Menke, 1830
  • Phasianella tritonis Chemnitz, 1788
  • Phasianella varia Lamarck

Phasianella australis, common names the Australian pheasant, painted lady, and pheasant snail, is a medium-sized to large species of sea snail with a calcareous operculum and a colorfully patterned shell, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Phasianellidae.

Description

This is the largest shell in the genus Phansianelle, with its height varying between 40 mm and 100 mm. The rather thin shell is elongatedand has a pointed-ovate shape. The conical spire is elevated. The shell contains 7-8 somewhat convex whorls. These are slightly flattened below the sutures. The long-ovate aperture is somewhat pyriform and forms usually less than half the total length of shell. The outer lip is thin. The columella shows more or less a white shining callus. The surface of the shell is variously longitudinally clouded and transversely articulated with red and purple olive on a polished flesh-colored, cream or white ground. The color pattern is extremely variable.[1]

Distribution

This marine species occurs off Australia and Tasmania.

References

  1. ↑ G.W. Tryon (1888), Manual of Conchology X; Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia
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