''Gaza rathbuni'', common name Rathbun's gaza, is a
species
A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...
of
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 ...
, a
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 ...
mollusc
Mollusca is a phylum of protostome, protostomic invertebrate animals, whose members are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 76,000 extant taxon, extant species of molluscs are recognized, making it the second-largest animal phylum ...
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 ...
Margaritidae.
[Bouchet, P. (2012). ''Gaza rathbuni''. Accessed through: ]World Register of Marine Species
The World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) is a taxonomic database that aims to provide an authoritative and comprehensive catalogue and list of names of marine organisms.
Content
The content of the registry is edited and maintained by scien ...
at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=575616 on 2012-12-03
Description
The size of the discoid shell varies between 24 mm and 30 mm. The teleoconch consists of 4.5 weakly convex
whorl
A whorl ( or ) is an individual circle, oval, volution or equivalent in a whorled pattern, which consists of a spiral or multiple concentric objects (including circles, ovals and arcs).
In nature
File:Photograph and axial plane floral diagra ...
s. This species differs from ''
Gaza superba'' by being more depressed, with stronger spiral grooving, a slightly smaller
umbilicus, and more flattened over the
sutures. The periostracum is olivaceous, polished, very thin and readily dehiscent. The
operculum contains about seven whorls, thin and polished, slightly centrally concave, with a narrow thinner band marginating the coil.
The soft parts recall those of ''Gaza superba'', but the muzzle seems shorter and there are seven slender, rather long epipodial filaments on the right side, instead of five as in ''Gaza superba''.
Dall, W.H. (1890) Scientific results of explorations by the U.S. Fish Commission Steamer Albatross. No. VII – Preliminary report on the collection of Mollusca and Brachiopoda obtained in 1887–88. Proceedings of the United States National Museum, 12, 219–362, pls. 5–14
/ref>
Distribution
This species occurs in the Pacific Ocean off the Galapagos Islands and the Gulf of Panama.
References
* Finet, Y., 1995. ''Marine Molluscs of the Galapagos: Gastropods. A monograph and revision of the families Trochidae, Skeneidae, Turbinidae and Neritidae.'' First edition ed. L'Informatore Piceno, Italy.
Luiz Ricardo L. Simone & Carlo M. Cunha, ''Revision of genera Gaza and Callogaza (Vetigastropoda, Trochidae), with description of a new Brazilian species''; Zootaxa1318: 1–40 (2006)
External links
USNM Invertebrate Zoology Mollusca Collection
World Register of Marine Species
*
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5528988
rathbuni
Gastropods described in 1890