Rhinoclavis vertagus
A cone-shelled cerith found on Indo-Pacific sand flats.
Last updated
H. Zell · via Wikipedia: Rhinoclavis vertagus · CC BY-SA 3.0
Rhinoclavis vertagus, known as the common creeper, is a marine gastropod mollusk belonging to the Cerithiidae family, which includes the ceriths. This sea snail is typically found on intertidal sand flats. Its shell is cone-shaped and usually colored white, grey, and brown, with a length ranging from 40 to 80 mm. Most members of the order Neotaenioglossa, including this species, are gonochoric and broadcast spawners.
Their embryos develop into planktonic trocophore larvae, then into juvenile veligers, before maturing into adults. People collect these snails mainly for their shells, though they are occasionally eaten. The species is distributed across Australia, the Philippines, and the broader Indo-west Pacific region, from east Africa to Vanuatu.
Scientific classification
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumMollusca
- ClassGastropoda
- SubclassCaenogastropoda
- Order
- FamilyCerithiidae
- GenusRhinoclavis
- SpeciesRhinoclavis vertagus
Named by (Linnaeus, 1767)
Sources: Wikipedia taxobox: Rhinoclavis vertagus (CC BY-SA 4.0) · differs from this box at order: WoRMS AphiaID 215122 (CC BY 4.0)
How big is it?
Largest length in the source, 0.08 m, next to a 1.8 m person.
Diagram: drawn by Codexery, schematic shapes to scale (not a likeness). Length: Wikipedia: Rhinoclavis vertagus
Where the rhinoclavis vertagus has been recorded
Each dot is a place where the species has been observed and reported (643 records, half-degree grid) — not a modelled range. 67 inland records left out (institution coordinates).
Map: drawn by Codexery. Data: GBIF occurrence search (records CC0 / CC BY) · Natural Earth basemap (public domain)
Quick Facts
- Family
- Cerithiidae
- Common name
- common creeper
- Shell length range
- 40 mm (1.57 in) to 80 mm / 3.15 in
- Shell colors
- white
- grey
- and brown
- Habitat
- intertidal sand flats
- Distribution
- Australia, Philippines, Indo-west Pacific from east Africa to Vanuatu
Facts from the source article.
More in Marine Snails: Ceriths, Nassas and Conchs
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Rhinoclavis vertagus (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Classification: the source article's taxobox; compare WoRMS, the World Register of Marine Species (CC BY 4.0).
- Occurrence records: GBIF (CC0 / CC BY). Basemap: Natural Earth (public domain).
- Word definitions: the , each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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