Calliostoma annulatum

(Redirected from Blue-ring topsnail)

Calliostoma annulatum, also known as the purple-ring topsnail, blue-ring topsnail or jeweled topsnail, is a medium-sized sea snail with gills and an operculum.[1]

Jeweled topsnail
Calliostoma annulatum crawling on a kelp leaf
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Vetigastropoda
Order: Trochida
Superfamily: Trochoidea
Family: Calliostomatidae
Genus: Calliostoma
Species:
C. annulatum
Binomial name
Calliostoma annulatum
(Lightfoot, 1786)
Synonyms
  • Trochus annulatus Martyn, 1784
  • Trochus moniliferus Phil.
  • Trochus virgineus Chemnitz
  • Zizyphinus annulatus Martyn, Reeve,

This is a sublittoral marine gastropod mollusk in the family Calliostomatidae. This snail lives off of the Pacific coast of North America.

Range of distribution

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This top shell can be found in the littoral zone from Isla San Geronimo, Baja California, north to Forrester Island, Alaska.

Shell description

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The shell height varies between 16 mm and 35 mm. The elevated-conic shell is imperforate and rather thin. This species is distinguished by its brilliantly colored shell, which is lustrous with a gold field, dotted with brown on the spiral rows of grains, the periphery or lower edge of each whorl encircled by a zone of violet or magenta stripes, the axis surrounded by a tract of the same. The brilliance of the colors fades somewhat once the animal dies. The thin shell shows numerous granulose spiral riblets, about 7 on the penultimate whorl, 9 or 10 on the base. It has few or none interstitial lirulae. The acute, reddish apex is minute. The sutures are slightly impressed. There are about 9 whorls, slightly convex, the last angular at periphery, flattened beneath. The rhomboidal aperture is oblique, fluted within. There is no umbilicus.[2] The head and foot of the animal has a yellow-orange color with brown spots. The color of the shell is gold with purple stripes.

Life habits

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This species is fairly omnivorous, feeding seasonally on kelp, sessile fauna like bryozoans, and detritus.

 
Two individuals of Calliostoma annulatum are visible on this hydrocoral

References

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  1. ^ Rosenberg, G. (2012). Calliostoma annulatum (Lightfoot, 1786). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=534197 on 2012-12-10
  2. ^ Tryon (1889), Manual of Conchology XI, Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia
  • Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Calliostoma annulatum
  • Race Rocks Taxonomy. Calliostoma annulatum
  • Key to Invertebrates Found At or Near Walla Walla College Marine Station.
  • Turgeon, D.D., et al. 1998. Common and scientific names of aquatic invertebrates of the United States and Canada. American Fisheries Society Special Publication 26 page(s), p. 61
  • Calliostoma annulatum
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  • "Calliostoma annulatum". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 15 January 2019.