The zebra top snail, scientific name ''Austrocochlea porcata'', is a medium-sized sea snail, a

marine Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean. Marine or marines may refer to: Ocean * Maritime (disambiguation) * Marine art * Marine biology * Marine debris * Marine habitats * Marine life * Marine pollution Military * ...

gastropod mollusc in the family

Trochidae The Trochidae, common name top-snails or top-shells, are a family of various sized sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the subclass Vetigastropoda. This family is commonly known as the top-snails because in many species the shell resembles ...

, the top snails, also known as top shells.Bouchet, P. (2013). Austrocochlea porcata (A. Adams, 1853). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=546941 on 2014-03-16

Shell description

The size of the shell varies between 20 mm and 43 mm. The shell has a black-and-white banded pattern overlying a light grey to white shell. It is very similar to that of the southern ribbed top snail, '' Austrocochlea constricta'', and until recently the two species were considered to be identical. The

aperture In optics, an aperture is a hole or an opening through which light travels. More specifically, the aperture and focal length of an optical system determine the cone angle of a bundle of rays that come to a focus in the image plane. An ...

is less dilated, than in '' Austrocochlea constricta''. The columellar tubercle is obsolete.Tryon (1889), Manual of Conchology XI, Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia
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Distribution

This marine species is endemic to Australia and occurs off Central

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to ...

and also off

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References

Life on Australian Seashores - www.mesa.edu.au
* Donald K.M., Kennedy M. & Spencer H.G. (2005) ''The phylogeny and taxonomy of austral monodontine topshells (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Trochidae), inferred from DNA sequences''. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 37: 474-483

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q8068305 porcata Gastropods of Australia Gastropods described in 1853