Ranella olearium


Ranella olearium, common name the wandering triton or the little frog triton or olive trumpet, is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Ranellidae, the tritons.

Synonyms

Over the course of time, this species has been named many times:Argobuccinum dilleri Anderson, F.M. & B. Martin, 1914Argobuccinum giganteum curvicauda Coen, G.S., 1941Argobuccinum giganteum dilatata Coen, G.S., 1941Argobuccinum giganteum duplonodosum Settepassi, F., 1970Argobuccinum giganteum exile Settepassi, F., 1970Argobuccinum giganteum inflatum Settepassi, F., 1970Argobuccinum giganteum intusdentata Coen, G.S., 1941Argobuccinum giganteum magnifica Coen, G.S., 1941Argobuccinum giganteum nodosecarinata Coen, G.S., 1941
  • Argobuccinum giganteum nodosum Settepassi, F., 1970Argobuccinum giganteum oceanica Coen, G.S., 1941Argobuccinum giganteum rarituberculatum Settepassi, F., 1970Argobuccinum giganteum tenuis Coen, G.S., 1941Argobuccinum pertuberculiferum Bellardi, L. in Sacco, F., 1872Bursa barcellosi Matthews, Rios & Coelho, 1973Cymatium olearium LinnaeusGyrina maculata Schumacher, 1817Mayena multinodosa Bucknill, 1927Murex olearium Linnaeus, 1758 Murex boveus Risso, A., 1826Murex reticularis Born, 1780Ranella bronni Michelotti, O.G., 1847Ranella budensis Noszky, 1940Ranella gigantea Lamarck, 1816Ranella incerta Michelotti, O.G., 1847Ranella miocenica Michelotti, O.G., 1847Ranella multinodosa Bucknill, 1927Ranella olearia Ranella ostenfeldi Iredale, 1937Ranella ranina Lamarck, J.B.P.A. de, 1816Ranella rarinodosa Noszky, 1940Ranella reticularis altavillensis Gregorio, A. de, 1884Ranella reticularis bicanalata Gregorio, A. de, 1884Ranella reticularis borniana Gregorio, A. de, 1884Ranella reticularis frigida Gregorio, A. de, 1884Ranella reticularis mediterranea Gregorio, A. de, 1884Ranella reticularis meneghini Gregorio, A. de, 1884Ranella reticularis parivaricata Gregorio, A. de, 1884Ranella reticularis isba Gregorio, A. de, 1885Ranella semilaevis Noszky, 1940Ranella simplex Noszky, 1940Triton parmense Sismonda, E., 1842

Distribution

This species has a wide distribution. It is found in European waters, in the Mediterranean Sea, in the Central and South Atlantic Ocean, in the Indian Ocean, along New Zealand, in the Caribbean Sea and in the South Western Pacific .

Description

The shell size of Ranella olearium varies between 90 mm and 240 mm. It is a highly variable species. Usually these large shells are elongated, thick and sturdy, with rounded whorls and with tubercles more or less developed on some sutures. The mouth is large and has a rounded section. The siphonal channel is moderately long and the lip bears many teeth, often double, arranged along the polished, white or brown edge. The external surface of the shell is brown ocher, with clearer tubercles and other protruding parts. The inner surface and the columella are white. In the living individual the shell is commonly covered with an outer velvety layer.

Habitat

These outer shelf-upper bathyal sea snails live on sandy or muddy bottoms. They have been recorded at a minimum depth of 100 m. and at a maximum depth of about 280 m.