Vasum globulus is a rare species of medium-sized predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Turbinellidae, subfamily Vasinae, the vase snails.[1]

Vasum globulus
Drawing of a shell of Vasum globulus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Neogastropoda
Family: Turbinellidae
Subfamily: Vasinae
Genus: Vasum
Species:
V. globulus
Binomial name
Vasum globulus
Lamarck, 1816
Synonyms[1]
  • Buccinella tuberculata Perry, 1811 (invalid: declared a nomen oblitum by Petit (2003) under ICZN Article 23.9.2, with the junior synonym Vasum globulus becoming a nomen protectum)
  • Globivasum globulus (Lamarck, 1816)
  • Turbinella globulus Lamarck, 1816 (basionym)
  • Turbinella nuttingi Henderson, 1919
  • Vasum antiguaensis Usticke, 1971
  • Vasum globulus antiguense Nowell-Usticke, 1969
  • Voluta globosa Dillwyn, 1817

Subspecies:

  • Vasum globulus nuttingi (J. Henderson, 1919) (synonym: Turbinella nuttingi J. Henderson, 1919)

Description

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The shell of the species is almost spherical, which is unusual in vase snails, hence the specific name globulus. The maximum recorded size of the shell is 43 mm, but it is small compared to that of other species in the same genus.

Distribution

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This species appears to be endemic to a few small islands in the Leeward Island chain of the Lesser Antilles, West Indies. It has been recorded from the following islands:

References

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  1. ^ a b Rosenberg, G. (2010). Vasum globulus (Lamarck, 1816). In: Bouchet, P.; Gofas, S.; Rosenberg, G. (2010) World Marine Mollusca database. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=533595 on 2012-04-15
  • Lamarck J.B. (1816). Liste des objets représentés dans les planches de cette livraison. In: Tableau encyclopédique et méthodique des trois règnes de la Nature. Mollusques et Polypes divers. Agasse, Paris.
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