Architectonica maculata

Architectonica maculata is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Architectonicidae, which are known as the staircase shells or sundials.^[1]

Architectonica maculata
Shell of Architectonica maculata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Family:	Architectonicidae
Genus:	Architectonica
Species:	A. maculata
Binomial name
Architectonica maculata (Link, 1807)
Synonyms
Architectonica picta (R. A. Philippi, 1849) junior subjective synonym Solarium (Solarium) tryoni J. T. Marshall, 1887 Solarium fragile Hinds, 1844 Solarium maculatum Link, 1807 Solarium pictum R. A. Philippi, 1849 junior subjective synonym Solarium tryoni J. T. Marshall, 1887

Description

(Original description of Solarium fragile in Latin) The shell is round and disk-shaped; the whorls are encircled by four rows of tubercles (small knobs); the uppermost and the lowermost are painted brown, while the middle ones are pearly. At the periphery it is angular and finely notched. The base is swollen. The umbilicus is open, surrounded by a ring of small, sharp white crenulations; the umbilical area is smooth; and the aperture is triangular.^[2]

Distribution

This marine species has a wide distribution and can be found in Southeast Asia, the Philippines, Indonesia; also off Australia, the Solomon Islands and Hong Kong.