Alia carinata, common name the carinate dove shell, is a species of very small sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Columbellidae, the dove snails.[1]

Alia carinata
Six shells of Alia carinata showing variability
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Neogastropoda
Family: Columbellidae
Genus: Alia
Species:
A. carinata
Binomial name
Alia carinata
(Hinds, 1844)
Synonyms[1]
  • Alia callimorpha Dall, 1919
  • Alia gouldii (Carpenter, 1857)
  • Columbella californiana Gaskoin, 1851
  • Columbella carinata Hinds, 1844 (original combination)
  • Columbella hindsii Reeve, 1858
  • Mitrella callimorpha (Dall, 1919)
  • Mitrella carinata (Hinds, 1844)
  • Nitidella carinata (Hinds, 1844)
  • Nitidella gouldii Carpenter, 1857 (original combination)

Distribution

edit

This species is found in the Eastern Pacific, from Alaska to Baja California, Mexico.

Description

edit

The adult size of the shell of this species of dove snail can be between 6 mm and 10 mm in length.[2] The body whorl is sometimes carinate (having a pronounced keel), sometimes less so, and sometimes not at all. The shell color is quite variable; it can also be one uniform color or patterned with two shades of color.

References

edit
  1. ^ a b Monsecour, K. (2012). Alia carinata (Hinds, 1844). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=511703 on 2012-11-22
  2. ^ McLean, James H., 1978 Marine Shells of Southern California, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Museum, Science Series 24, Revised Edition: p. 48
edit