Alcithoe arabica


Alcithoe arabica, common name Arabic volute, is a species of very large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Volutidae, the volutes.

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand.

Description

Shells of Alcithoe arabica can reach a height of and a width of 88 mm. These shells are usually large, solid, fusiform, with relatively weak tubercles on the shoulder of the body whorl. The shell aperture is high with a thickened, rounded outer lip. The external surface is yellowish-white with chestnut zig-zag markings, forming five bands on the body whorl. These markings were thought to resemble Arabic writing, giving rise to the name of the species.
There is no operculum in A. arabica. Individuals have a large grey to brown foot, flecked with purple and orange markings.

Ecology

These sea snails live in subtidal waters on soft sediments. Alcithoe arabica are able to move quite quickly on the soft substrate. They feed on bivalves that they smother using their large foot. The rounded, thin shelled eggs of this species are laid on stones or other shells.

Subspecies

  • Alcithoe arabica jaculoides A. W. B. Powell, 1924 : synonym of Alcithoe jaculoides A. W. B. Powell, 1924

    Synonyms

  • Alcithoe arabica
  • Alcithoe swainsoni Marwick, 1926
  • † Alcithoe acuta Marwick, 1926
  • † Alcithoe detrita Marwick, 1926
  • † Alcithoe lutea Marwick, 1924
  • Alcithoe motutarensis A. W. B. Powell, 1928
  • † Alcithoe nukumaruensis
  • Alcithoe swainsoni Marwick, 1926
  • Alcithoe motutaraensis Powell A. W. B., 1928
  • † Alcithoe transformis Marwick, 1926
  • † Fulgoraria arabica
  • Fulgoraraia depressa Suter, 1908
  • Fulgoraria arabica
  • † Fulgoraria turrita var. nukumaruensis P. Marshall & Murdoch, 1920
  • Fulguraria arabica
  • Fulguraria depressa Suter, 1908
  • † Fulguraria turrita var. nukumaruensis P. Marshall & Murdoch, 1920
  • Notovoluta rossiteri Brazier, 1898
  • Notovoluta rossiteri Swainson, 1821
  • Notovoluta rossiteri Perry, 1810
  • Voluta arabica Gmelin, 1791
  • Voluta elongata Swainson, 1821
  • Voluta pacifica Perry, 1810
  • Voluta rossiteri Brazier, 1898