Architectonica perspectiva

Architectonica perspectiva, whose common name is the clear or perspective sundial shell, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Architectonicidae, which are known as the staircase shells or sundials. ^[2]

Subspecies and variety

• Architectonica perspectiva fressa Iredale, 1936: synonym of Architectonica perspectiva (Linnaeus, 1758) (junior subjective synonym)
• Architectonica perspectiva var. modesta (R. A. Philippi, 1849): synonym of Architectonica modesta (R. A. Philippi, 1849) (superseded rank)

Architectonica perspectiva
Architectonica perspectiva
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Family:	Architectonicidae
Genus:	Architectonica
Species:	A. perspectiva
Binomial name
Architectonica perspectiva (Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms[1]
Architectonica perspectiva fressa Iredale, 1936 junior subjective synonym Solarium (Architectonica) hanleyi G. B. Sowerby II, 1863 Solarium (Architectonica) trisulcatum Jousseaume, 1877 Solarium australe R. A. Philippi, 1849 Solarium cumingii Hanley, 1862 Solarium formosum Hinds, 1844 Solarium fuliginosum Hinds, 1845 Solarium hanleyi G. B. Sowerby II, 1863 Solarium incisum R. A. Philippi, 1849 junior subjective synonym Solarium maculatum Reeve, 1848 Solarium perspectivum (Linnaeus, 1758) Solarium perspectivum var. heurni C. Bayer, 1940 junior subjective synonym Solarium striatum J. E. Gray, 1850 junior subjective synonym Solarium trisulcatum Jousseaume, 1877 Solarium zonatum R. A. Philippi, 1849 junior subjective synonym Trochus perspectivus Linnaeus, 1758 (original combination)

Description

(Original description of Solarium fuliginosum in Latin) The shell is orbiculato-conical, in other words it is essentially a low, depressed cone with a rounded base. The shell is smooth, and adorned with soot-brown coloration. The lower whorls are smooth and somewhat swollen, while the upper whorls are longitudinally folded (plicate). The median area is pale and is painted with broad, oblique brown stripes. It is keeled at the periphery. Above the keel, there is a narrow, flattened area articulated with quadrate brown spots. The base is slightly swollen, pale, and smooth. The aperture is quadrate. The umbilicus is wide-open and is furnished with straight brown crenations. ^[3]

The snails have a shell 5 to 7 centimeters in diameter. The cone-like shell coils up from a flat base. The spirals are composed of vibrant shades of black, white, and brown. The body and its tentacles are striped as well to match the shell. Its operculum is made of a horn-like material.^[4]

A shell of Architectonica perspectiva.

Distribution

The snail is common in Indo-Pacific Asia and around India. The snail often lives among coral reefs, and enjoys sandy seafloors.^[5]

Museum specimens. Naturalis

Live individual