Zeacumantus lutulentus

Taxobox
name = "Zeacumantus lutulentus"
status =


regnum = Animalia
phylum = Mollusca
classis = Gastropoda
ordo = Mesogastropoda
familia = Potamididae
genus = Zeacumantus
species = "Z. lutulentus"
binomial = "Zeacumantus lutulentus"
binomial_authority = (Kiener,1841)

"Zeacumantus lutulentus" is a species of medium-sized sea snail or mud snail, a marinegastropod mollusk in the family Potamididae, the horn snails.

Distribution

This species is endemic to the North Island and the northern half of the South Island of New Zealand.

Habitat

This snail is very common in intertidal mudflats.

hell description

The shell is of moderate size, with distant strong axial ribs, stopped at the uppermost of two strong spiral ribs, one at the top of the aperture, the other just below it.

Height is up to 29 mm, and width 10 mm.

Life habits

On the mudflats, these snails plough their way across the surface, leaving recognizable trails. Each snail passes huge quantities of mud through its gut as it extracts organic matter from the mud.

References

* Powell A. W. B., "New Zealand Mollusca", William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979 ISBN 0-00-216906-1
* Glen Pownall, "New Zealand Shells and Shellfish", Seven Seas Publishing Pty Ltd, Wellington, New Zealand 1979 ISBN 85467-054-8
* Miller M & Batt G, "Reef and Beach Life of New Zealand", William Collins (New Zealand) Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1973