Rhinovasum rhinoceros

Rhinovasum rhinoceros
Rhinovasum rhinoceros in a tide pool in Mombasa, Kenya, Africa
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Neogastropoda
Superfamily: Turbinelloidea
Family: Vasidae
Genus: Rhinovasum
Species:
R. rhinoceros
Binomial name
Rhinovasum rhinoceros
(Gmelin, 1791)
Synonyms[1]
  • Vasum rhinoceros (Gmelin, 1791) superseded combination
  • Voluta rhinoceros Gmelin, 1791 ·

Rhinovasum rhinoceros, common name the rhinoceros vase snail or rhinoceros vase shell, is a species of large predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk within the family Vasidae.[1] [2]

Subspecies
  • Rhinovasum rhinoceros attolinoi (T. Cossignani, 2017)
  • Rhinovasum rhinoceros rhinoceros (Gmelin, 1791)

Description

The length of the shell: up to 90 mm, similar to Vasum turbinellus, in shape, but more rosy pink with light brown patches. The parietal wall is yellow-brown.The columella is wide, orange pink, with only three folds and large nodules on the shoulder. (Richmond, 1997).

Distribution

This species occurs in the Western Indian Ocean off Tanzania and Kenya.

Habitat

Shallow, rocky, sandy substrata.

References

  1. ^ a b Rhinovasum rhinoceros(Gmelin, 1791). 16 February 2026. Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species.
  2. ^ "Vasum rhinoceros (Gmelin, 1791)".
  • Spry, J.F. (1961). The sea shells of Dar es Salaam: Gastropods. Tanganyika Notes and Records 56