Biology:Epitonium clathrus

Short description: Species of gastropod

Epitonium clathrus
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Family:	Epitoniidae
Genus:	Epitonium
Species:	E. clathrus
Binomial name
Epitonium clathrus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms
List Clathrus amabilis G. Coen, 1937 Clathrus clathrus Linnaeus, 1758 Clathrus corenatus G. Coen, 1937 Clathrus mediterraneum Kobelt, 1887 Clathrus nanus G. Coen, 1937 Clathrus plancianus G. Coen, 1937 Clathrus rubeolus G. Coen, 1937 Claviscala elongata (Fenaux, 1943) Epitonium annulatum Milaschewitsch, 1909 Epitonium clathrum mediterraneum (Kobelt, 1887) Epitonium clathrum minimum Nordsieck, 1968 Epitonium commune (Lamarck, 1822) (junior synonym) Epitonium commune annulatum Milaschewitch, 1909 Epitonium communis (Lamarck, 1819) (incorrect gender ending) Epitonium elongatum Röding, 1798 Epitonium jousseaumei (Locard, 1892) Epitonium mediterraneum (Locard & Caziot, 1901) Epitonium obsita (Locard, 1886) Epitonium valentini Röding, 1798 Parviscala jousseaumei (Locard, 1892) Scala clathrus (Linnaeus, 1758) Scalaria clathra (Linnaeus, 1758) Scalaria clathra Lovén, 1846 Scalaria communis Lamarck, 1822 Scalaria histriaca Féneaux, A., 1943 Scalaria histriaca var. elongata Fenaux, 1943 Scalaria jousseaumei Locard, 1892 Scalaria laevigata Calcara, 1840 Scalaria mediterranea Locard & Caziot, 1901 Scalaria mediterranea var. elongata Locard & Caziot, 1901 Scalaria mediterranea var. major Locard & Caziot, 1901 Scalaria mediterranea var. minor Locard & Caziot, 1901 Scalaria obsita Locard, 1886 Scalaria tumida Risso, 1826 Strombiformis clathratus da Costa, 1779 Turbo clathrus Linnaeus, 1758

Subspecies E. c. mediterraneum

Epitonium clathrus, also known as the common wentletrap, is a species of small predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Epitoniidae, the wentletraps.

Taxonomy

Originally described by Carl Linnaeus as Turbo clathrus, it was later known as Clathrus clathrus, Scalaria communis and Epitonium commune.

Distribution

The common wentletrap is very common along the eastern Atlantic coast, in the North Sea up to Norway, the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Live specimens have only rarely been observed. While it does occur in the Baltic Sea, it has become a vulnerable species there.

Feeding habits

Epitonium clathrus is a predator of sea anemones (Anthozoa, Actiniaria) and corals (Anthozoa, Scleractinia). It has been seen feeding on the sea anemone Anemonia sulcata and found in the neighbourhood of sea anemones Sagartia troglodytes and Sargartiogeton undatus.

Description

Shell: The cone-shaped shell reaches a height of 35 mm. It is shiny white to cream coloured, often with brown spots. Seven thick and very distinct costae (spiral ribs) wind around twelve to fifteen whorls. These convex whorls often contain two or three purple bands that can best seen when they cross the lamella of the outer lip. The protoconch is usually blunt. The aperture is entire and rounded. Its top coincides with a suture. The umbilicus is lacking. The operculum is horny and paucispiral.

Soft parts (data compiled from George Washington Tryon (1887) and Johannes Thiele (1929)): The short foot is truncated in front and extends far in advance of the head. The long tentacles are narrow and close together. The eyes are situated on the base of the tentacles. The mantle margin is simple and contains a rudimentary siphonal fold. The radula is wide and more or less bent at the end. The radular teeth are elongate and hook shaped or needle shaped, with many teeth in a series. The species is hermaphroditic.

References

Wikidata ☰ Q1835212 entry