''Acinodrillia'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

sea snail Sea snails are slow-moving marine (ocean), marine gastropod Mollusca, molluscs, usually with visible external shells, such as whelk or abalone. They share the Taxonomic classification, taxonomic class Gastropoda with slugs, which are distinguishe ...

s, marine

gastropod Gastropods (), commonly known as slugs and snails, belong to a large Taxonomy (biology), taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda (). This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, freshwater, and fro ...

mollusk Mollusca is a phylum of protostomic invertebrate animals, whose members are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 76,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized, making it the second-largest animal phylum after Arthropoda. The ...

s in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Drilliidae The Drilliidae are a taxonomic family of small predatory sea snails with high-spired shells. They are classified as marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Conoidea. This family has no subfamilies. It consists of about 30 genera and approx ...

Description

The length of the claviform shell varies between 7mm and 12 mm. The spiral

sculpture Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...

of the shell shows sharply incised grooves, carving through the axial ribs into distinct nodules or granules. These axial ribs disappear below the suture. Contrary to the species in ''

Drillia ''Drillia'' is a genus of small sea snails, marine (ocean), marine gastropod mollusks in the family (biology), family Drilliidae. General characteristics The shell is turriculated, with an elevated Spire (mollusc), spire, longitudinal ribs, and ...

'', the

anal sinus An anal sinus (rectal sinus) is a furrow formed between any two adjacent anal columns of the anal canal The anal canal is the part that connects the rectum to the anus, located below the level of the pelvic diaphragm. It is located within the ...

is not spout-like. Contrary to ''

Agladrillia ''Agladrillia'' is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family (biology), family Drilliidae. Description A specific characteristic for this genus is that the outer lip is strongly drawn in towards the base. (Description by We ...

'', the outer

lip The lips are a horizontal pair of soft appendages attached to the jaws and are the most visible part of the mouth of many animals, including humans. Mammal lips are soft, movable and serve to facilitate the ingestion of food (e.g. sucklin ...

is not pinched in toward the base of the shell. The body whorl shows a dorsal

varix A varix (: varices) is an abnormally dilated blood vessel with a tortuous course. Varices usually occur in the venous system, but may also occur in arterial or lymphatic vessels. Examples of varices include: * Varicose veins, large tortuous veins ...

(a subcylíndrical protrusion). The wide

siphonal canal The siphonal canal is an anatomical feature of the shells of certain groups of sea snails within the clade Neogastropoda. Some sea marine gastropods have a soft tubular anterior extension of the mantle called a siphon through which water i ...

is unnotched.

Distribution

This marine genus is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

Species

Species within the genus ''Acinodrillia'' include: * '' Acinodrillia amazimba'' Kilburn, 1988 * '' Acinodrillia paula'' (Thiele, 1925) * '' Acinodrillia viscum'' Kilburn, 1988

References

* Kilburn, R. N. (1988). ''Type species designation for Acinodrillia Kilburn''. Annals of the Natal Museum. 29: 557.

External links

*
WMSDB - Worldwide Mollusc Species Data Base: family Drilliidae
{{Taxonbar, from=Q4674180 Drilliidae Gastropod genera