Pelicaria vermis


Pelicaria vermis, known as the small ostrich foot shell, or as takai in Māori, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Struthiolariidae. It is the only extant species in the genus.

Distribution and habitat

This species is endemic to the North Island of New Zealand, where it lives just beneath the surface on tidal flats and off sandy beaches, occasionally to depths of 90m.
image:Struthiolaria vermis vermis (small [ostrich foot) (base).JPG|thumb|left|200px|Shell of Pelicaria vermis, apertural view]

Description

The shell height is up to 54 mm, and width up to 35 mm, colouring usually yellow brown, rarely plain yellow or purple.