Phrontis tiarula, common name the western mud nassa, is a species of small sea snail with gills and an operculum, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Nassariidae, the nassa mud snails or dog whelks.[1]

Phrontis tiarula
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Neogastropoda
Family: Nassariidae
Genus: Phrontis
Species:
P. tiarula
Binomial name
Phrontis tiarula
(Kiener, 1841)
Synonyms[1]
  • Buccinum tiarula Kiener, 1841
  • Nassa complanata var. major Stearns, 1894
  • Nassa tegula Reeve, 1853
  • Nassa tiarula (Kiener, 1841)
  • Nassarius (Nassarius) tiarula (Kiener, 1841)

Description

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The length of the shell varies between 9 mm and 20 mm.

Distribution

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This species occurs in the Pacific Ocean from California to Mexico.

Feeding habits

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These snails are exclusively scavengers.

References

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  1. ^ a b MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Phrontis tiarula (Kiener, 1841). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1497938 on 2021-09-10
  • Dautzenberg, Ph. (1929). Contribution à l'étude de la faune de Madagascar: Mollusca marina testacea. Faune des colonies françaises, III(fasc. 4). Société d'Editions géographiques, maritimes et coloniales: Paris. 321–636, plates IV-VII pp.
  • Cernohorsky W. O. (1984). Systematics of the family Nassariidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda). Bulletin of the Auckland Institute and Museum 14: 1–356.
  • Turgeon, D.; Quinn, J.F.; Bogan, A.E.; Coan, E.V.; Hochberg, F.G.; Lyons, W.G.; Mikkelsen, P.M.; Neves, R.J.; Roper, C.F.E.; Rosenberg, G.; Roth, B.; Scheltema, A.; Thompson, F.G.; Vecchione, M.; Williams, J.D. (1998). Common and scientific names of aquatic invertebrates from the United States and Canada: mollusks. 2nd ed. American Fisheries Society Special Publication, 26. American Fisheries Society: Bethesda, MD (USA). ISBN 1-888569-01-8. IX, 526 + cd-rom pp. page(s): 97
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