Distorsio reticularis

Distorsio reticularis, common name reticulate distorsio, is a species of medium-sized sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Personidae, the Distortio snails.^[1][2]

Distorsio reticularis
Distorsio reticularis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Littorinimorpha
Superfamily:	Tonnoidea
Family:	Personidae
Genus:	Distorsio
Species:	D. reticularis
Binomial name
Distorsio reticularis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms[1]
Distorsio (Distorsio) reticularis (Linnaeus, 1758) Distorsio acuta Perry, 1811 Distorsio decipiens (Reeve, 1844) · Distorsio francesae Iredale, 1931 Distorsio reticulata Röding, 1798 Distorta acuta Perry, 1811 Distortrix cancellinus Roissy Distortrix reticulata (Röding, 1798) Murex mulus Dillwyn, 1817 Murex reticularis Linnaeus, 1758 † Nassa lamonganana K. Martin, 1884 † Tritia lamonganana (K. Martin, 1884) · Triton decipiens Reeve, 1844

Subspecies

• Distorsio reticularis francesae Iredale, 1931

Distribution

This species is widespread in the Indo-Western Pacific, including the Persian Gulf, to Melanesia, north to Japan, China Sea, Taiwan, Philippines and south to Queensland.^[3][4][5]

Habitat

These sea snails live in tropical coral reef, at depths of about 10 to 100 m.^[5][6]

Description

Shells of Distorsio reticularis can reach a length of 40–94 millimetres (1.6–3.7 in).^[3] These shells are fusiform, inflated and roughly sculptured with axial and spiral ribs and low axial varices. Spire whorls are irregular, with a wavering suture. The aperture is narrow and distorted (hence the genus name), with strong teeth on the lips and a moderately developed callus. Siphonal canal is rather long and dorsally recurved. Operculum is corneous, irregularly ovate.^[6]

Biology

These sea snails probably are carnivorous. Sexes are separate. After hatching larvae are free-swimming.^[5][6]