''Raphitoma atropurpurea'' is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of ...

of sea snail, a marine gastropod

mollusk Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is es ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Raphitomidae Raphitomidae is a family of small to medium-sized sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Conoidea.Bouchet P. & Rocroi J.-P. (Ed.) (2005). "Classification and nomenclator of gastropod families". '' Malacologia'' 47(1-2). . 3 ...

Description

The length of the shell varies between and . The monochrome dark brown shell has a somewhat elongated, fusiform shape. The

spire A spire is a tall, slender, pointed structure on top of a roof of a building or tower, especially at the summit of church steeples. A spire may have a square, circular, or polygonal plan, with a roughly conical or pyramidal shape. Spires are ...

is long but not very acuminate. The shell contains 10 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). Whorls in nature File:Photograph and axial plane flo ...

s, separated by a rather impressed suture. The body whorl is rounded and is attenuated progressively downwards. The whorls show narrow, close, prominent ribs intersected by decurrent, narrow, prominent, regular and continual striae, forming a regular reticulation. Locard A. & Caziot E. (1900-1901). Les coquilles marines des côtes de Corse. Annales de la Société Linnéenne de Lyon, 46: 193-274 [1900
47: 1-80, 159-291">900">Locard A. & Caziot E. (1900-1901). Les coquilles marines des côtes de Corse. Annales de la Société Linnéenne de Lyon, 46: 193-274 [1900
47: 1-80, 159-291

Distribution

This marine species occurs in the Mediterranean Sea off Southern France and Corsica.

References

* Pusateri F., Giannuzzi Savelli R., Bartolini S. & Oliverio M. (2017). A revision of the Mediterranean Raphitomidae (Neogastropoda, Conoidea) 4: The species of the group of Raphitoma purpurea (Montagu, 1803) with the description of a new species. Bollettino Malacologico. 53(2): 161-183.

External links

*
Gastropods.com: Raphitoma (Raphitoma) atropurpurea

Biolib.cz: ''Raphitoma atropurpurea''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Raphitoma Atropurpurea atropurpurea Gastropods described in 1900