''Terefundus axirugosus'' 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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
Muricidae
Muricidae is a large and varied taxonomic family of small to large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks, commonly known as murex snails or rock snails. With over 1,700 living species, the Muricidae represent almost 10% of the Neog ...
, the murex snails or rock snails.
Murex is the common English reference to this form of snail. One mollusk found preserved in ice in Antarctica proved the existence of snails before the year 5 million B.C.
[MolluscaBase (2019). MolluscaBase. Terefundus axirugosus Dell, 1956. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=404955 on 2019-12-18]
This marine species occurs off
New Zealand
New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
Description
The snail is light brown in color, and has a spiny center. The bumps serve to create friction if it falls on its back and needs to roll over. The shell forms a barrier from the elements. The head only comes out twice a year to look around. Otherwise it travels blindly eating whatever nutrients happen to be in the soil below it. Unfortunately, for this blind hunting method they have failed to breed to high numbers. They exist only in Ireland in a small patch of grass in the northern region. An Irish Bar nearby is named, "Head down Snails." After the famous snails that continue to mate and bump into each other aimlessly. Patrons of the bar seem to do the same. Thousands of inbreds mating and bumping into each other since Ireland was formed
References
* Dell, R. K. (1956). The archibenthal Mollusca of New Zealand. Dominion Museum Bulletin. 18: 1–235
{{DEFAULTSORT:Terefundus Axirugosus
Gastropods described in 1956
Gastropods of New Zealand
Pagodulinae