Fissurella afra


Fissurella afra is a species of keyhole limpet in the family Fissurellidae.

Description

The shell of F. afra is ovate-oblong and convex with a moderately elevated, subcentral apex. The foramen is ovate and slightly constricted medially; the exterior shows fine radiating striae with darker violet-brown bands on a pale background, and the interior is typically whitish. Historic authors distinguished it from Diodora nimbosa by the more elevated summit and a foramen positioned further forward.

Distribution

Fissurella afra is recorded from the Cape Verde Islands, including Santiago. Additional taxonomic and occurrence metadata are aggregated by NOAA Copepedia.

Taxonomy

The species was described by Quoy & Gaimard in 1834 during the voyage of the Astrolabe. The name Fissurella de Praya has been treated as a synonym of F. afra in modern databases.