Calthalotia strigata
A striped top snail endemic to Western Australia.
Calthalotia strigata is a marine gastropod mollusk belonging to the Trochidae family, commonly known as top snails. This sea snail is found only in Australian waters, specifically off the coast of Western Australia.
The shell of this species ranges from 10 to 23 millimeters in length when fully grown. It has a tall, conical shape with a small opening near the base. The shell's surface is decorated with vertical stripes that alternate between white and red or green, or sometimes with purplish flame-like markings. The whorls are flat and slightly indented in the middle, with a prominent rounded ridge near the sutures. Fine, equal ridges run across the whorls, giving them a slightly beaded texture. The base of the shell has concentric ridges with fine radiating lines in the spaces between them. The opening of the shell is roughly square, and the outer lip curves forward, ending in a blunt tooth on the lower side. The inside of the lip has faint grooves.
Quick Facts
- Taxon
- Calthalotia strigata
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The shell of Calthalotia strigata is subperforate and has an elevated-conical shape. It is painted with longitudinal stripes of white and red or green, or with longitudinal purplish flammules. The plane whorls are concave in the middle and show at the sutures a prominent rounded ridge that is transversely lirate, with the lirae equal and subgranulose. The base of the shell is concentrically lirate, with radiating striae in the interstices. The aperture is subquadrate, and the lip is arcuate, ending anteriorly in an obtuse tooth, and is obsoletely sulcate within.
Reader's Guide
Calthalotia strigata is a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Trochidae, the top snails. Its shell size varies between 10 mm and 23 mm. The species is endemic to Australia and occurs off Western Australia. The shell is described with longitudinal stripes of white and red or green, or with longitudinal purplish flammules. The whorls are concave in the middle with a prominent rounded ridge at the sutures, and the base is concentrically lirate with radiating striae. The aperture is subquadrate and the lip is arcuate with an obtuse tooth. These details come from the source article, which cites works by Adams and Angas (1864), Hedley (1908), Hickman and McLean (1990), and Wilson (1993). The species is also referenced in Adams (1853) and on Gastropods.com.
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