Tritia elata

Tritia elata is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Nassariidae, the Nassa mud snails or dog whelks.^[1]

Tritia elata
Shell of Tritia elata (syntype at MNHN, Paris)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Neogastropoda
Family:	Nassariidae
Subfamily:	Nassariinae
Genus:	Tritia
Species:	T. elata
Binomial name
Tritia elata (Gould, 1845)
Synonyms[1]
Columbella buchholzi Martens, 1881 Nassa (Telasco) interstincta Marrat, 1878 †Nassa catalaunica Almera & Bofill, 1898 †Nassa cossmanni Depontallier, 1878 Nassa elata Gould, 1845 Nassa gallandiana Fischer, 1862 Nassa gallandiana var. albida Locard, 1887 Nassa gallandiana var. monochroma Locard, 1887 Nassa interstincta Marrat, 1878 †Nassa neglecta Bellardi, 1882 †Nassa pinnata Bellardi, 1882 †Nassa transitans Bellardi, 1882 Nassarius elatus (Gould, 1845)

Description

The shell size varies between 10 mm and 20 mm.

(Original description) This dingy-white shell has a slender, elongated form giving it somewhat the aspect of a Terebra. It is remarkable for its varied sculpture.

There are 8 flattened, turreted whorls, featuring a marginal line near the suture. The six upper whorls are marked with regular, somewhat distant, acute folds. The last but one, and the upper half of the body whorl, are smooth. The lower half is occupied by about half a dozen regular, deeply impressed, revolving striae.

The aperture is small and narrow, measuring less than half the length of the shell. The outer lip is sharp, somewhat sinuate near the front, and is rendered serrate where the revolving striae cut it. It appears striate and white within. The callus on the columella is rather sparing. ^[2]

Distribution

This species occurs in European waters off Portugal and in the Atlantic Ocean off Angola.