Galeodea echinophora
| Galeodea echinophora Temporal range:
| |
|---|---|
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| A shell of Galeodea echinophora | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
| Order: | Littorinimorpha |
| Family: | Cassidae |
| Genus: | Galeodea |
| Species: | G. echinophora
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| Binomial name | |
| Galeodea echinophora (Linnaeus, 1758)
| |
Galeodea echinophora, the spiny bonnet or helmet shell,[1] is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cassidae, the helmet snails and bonnet snails.[2][3]
The fossil record of this species dates back from the Miocene to the Quaternary (age range: 23.03 to 0.781 million years ago). These fossils have been found in India, Spain and Italy.[4]
Description[edit]
The shell of Galeodea echinophora can reach a length of 50–110 millimetres (2.0–4.3 in).[1] The shell is globular or oval, with a large body whorl. The surface of the shell is yellowish-brown. The aperture is wide, with denticulate lips, a curved siphonal canal and a large columellar edge. Tubercles are quite variable, usually not very pronounced and may be entirely absent.[5] These mollusks are carnivorous and eat mostly echinoderms, especially Echinocardium cordatum.
Distribution and habitat[edit]
This species can be found in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and in the North Atlantic Ocean, mainly in Western Africa.[1] It lives on sandy and muddy bottoms over 10 m in depth.
References[edit]
- ^ a b c "Galeodea (Galeodea) echinophora". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
- ^ Galeodea echinophora (Linnaeus, 1758). Gofas, S. (2009). Galeodea echinophora (Linnaeus, 1758). In: Bouchet, P.; Gofas, S.; Rosenberg, G. World Marine Mollusca database. Accessed through the World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=139023 on 14 August 2010 .
- ^ EU-Nomen
- ^ Paleobiology Database
- ^ Argonauti
- Arianna Fulvo et Roberto Nistri (2005). 350 coquillages du monde entier. Delachaux et Niestlé (Paris) : 256 p.
- Beu A.G. (2008) Recent deep-water Cassidae of the world. A revision of Galeodea, Oocorys, Sconsia, Echinophoria and related taxa, with new genera and species (Mollusca, Gastropoda).