Coralliophila violacea
| Coralliophila violacea | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
| Order: | Neogastropoda |
| Family: | Muricidae |
| Genus: | Coralliophila |
| Species: | C. violacea
|
| Binomial name | |
| Coralliophila violacea Kiener, 1836
| |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Coralliophila violacea, known as the violet coral shell or purple coral snail, is a species of sea snail in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.[1]
Description
Shells of C. violacea are typically bulbous with an off-white exterior and a violet aperture. The shell size varies between 17 and 47 millimetres (0.67 and 1.85 in).
Like other members of its genus, C. violacea feeds on the living tissue of various corals. It is found in association with reef-building corals such as Porites.
Purple coral snails are protandrous hermaphrodites. Females produce oval egg sacs and retain them within the mantle cavity; fertilization and brooding occur internally. Larger shell size in females is associated with higher fecundity.[2]
Distribution
This species is distributed in the Red Sea[2] and in the Indian Ocean along Aldabra, Chagos, Kenya, Madagascar and Tanzania, in the Indo-Pacific and along the Galapagos Islands
References
- ^ a b Coralliophila violacea Kiener, 1836. Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 24 April 2010.
- ^ a b Ghallab, Ahmed; Abou Zaid, Mohamed; Hanafy, Mahmoud; Hassan, Abdelkader; Mahdy, Aldoushy (1 May 2021). "Biological study, life cycle and fecundity of Coralliophila violacea (Coralliophilidae: Gastropoda: Mollusca) inhabiting the Red Sea coral reefs, Egypt". Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries. 25 (3): 201–216. doi:10.21608/ejabf.2021.174478. ISSN 2536-9814.
- Dautzenberg, P. (1923). Liste preliminaire des mollusques marins de Madagascar et description de deux especes nouvelles. Journal de Conchyliologie 68: 21–74
- Dautzenberg, Ph. (1929). Mollusques testacés marins de Madagascar. Faune des Colonies Francaises, Tome III
- Drivas, J. & M. Jay (1988). Coquillages de La Réunion et de l'île Maurice
- Oliverio M. (2008) Coralliophilinae (Neogastropoda: Muricidae) from the southwest Pacific. In: V. Héros, R.H. Cowie & P. Bouchet (eds), Tropical Deep-Sea Benthos 25. Mémoires du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle 196: 481–585. page(s): 486
External links
- "Coralliophila (Coralliophila) neritoidea". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 2 February 2011.