Melo (gastropod)
Melo is a genus of extremely large sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Volutidae, the volutes. Because of their huge ovate shells, these snails are often known as "bailers" or "melons".
Species in this genus sometimes produce large pearls. The image in the taxobox shows a group of these pearls with a shell of the species Melo melo.
Description
The large shell is subovate and ventricose. The spire is short. The apex is obtuse, papillary, persistent. The whorls are smooth. The body whorl is posteriorly coronated. The aperture is oblong and wide. The columella shows several oblique plaits, the anterior the largest. The outer lip is simple, acute and obliquely truncate in front.Species
The following species are recognised in the genus Melo:Melo aethiopicus Crowned balerMelo amphora, Giant balerMelo ashmorensis Morrison, 2005Melo broderipii Melo gajahmadai Dharma, 2023Melo georginae Melo melo Indian voluteMelo miltonis Milton's melon or Southern bailerMelo nusantara Dharma, 2023- †Melo persolida Melo peterstimpsoni Melo tessellatus Melo umbilicatus Heavy baler or umbilicate melon