Harpa davidis, common name the Madras harp or David harp, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Harpidae, the harp snails.[1]

Harpa davidis
Five views of a shell of Harpa davidis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Neogastropoda
Family: Harpidae
Genus: Harpa
Species:
H. davidis
Binomial name
Harpa davidis
Röding, 1798
Synonyms[1]
  • Harpa conoidalis Lamarck, 1822
  • Harpa major Röding, 1798
  • Harpa nablium Mörch, 1852
  • Harpa ventricosa Lamarck, 1816

Distribution

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This species is widespread over Indo-Pacific, from eastern Africa to Hawaii and it is present in the South Eastern India and in the Andaman Sea.[2][3][4]

 
A shell of Harpa davidis

Habitat

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The Madras harp lives on sublittoral and offshore sandy bottoms at depths of 5 to 250 m.[5]

Description

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Shells of Harpa davidis can reach a size of 60–119 millimetres (2.4–4.7 in).[2] These shells are usually smoothy and glossy, pale brown or reddish-brown, with strong axial ribs, a wide aperture and characteristic decorative markings. The ventral side of body whorl usually shows two-three large brown blotches,[5] but may also be completely brown.

Bibliography

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  • Hughes, R.N. and W.K. Emerson. 1987. Anatomical and taxonomic characteristics of
  • HarpaandMorum(Neogastropoda: Harpaidae). Veliger, 29(4):349–358.
  • Rehder, H.A. 1973. The family Harpidae of the world. Indo-Pac. Moll., 3(16):207–274.
  • Walls, J.G. 1977. Another viewpoint on the living harps. The Pariah, 4:1–4.
  • Walls, J.G. 1980. Conchs, tibias, and harps. T.F.H., Reigate, 191

References

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  1. ^ a b Harpa davidis Röding, 1798. Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 25 April 2010.
  2. ^ a b "Harpa davidis". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  3. ^ GBIF
  4. ^ "Harpa davidis". Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
  5. ^ a b FAO – Horse conchs, spindle shells
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