Turbo imperialis
{{Short description|Species of gastropod}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{Speciesbox
| taxon = Turbo imperialis
| image = Turbo imperialis 002.jpg
| image_caption = Apertural view of a shell of Turbo imperialis with operculum in place
| image2 = Turbo imperialis 01.jpg
| image2_caption = Five views of a shell of Turbo imperialis
| authority = Gmelin, 1790
| synonyms =
- Turbo mespilus Gmelin, 1791
- Turbo (Dinassovica) imperialis Gmelin, 1791
- Turbo (Lunatica) imperialis Gmelin, 1791
}}
File:Turbo Marmoratus Madagascar.jpg
Turbo imperialis is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Turbinidae, the turban snails.{{WRMS species|216376|Turbo imperialis Gmelin, 1790||30 September 2012}}
T. imperialis is fished commercially for its pearly shell, and is often confused with T. marmoratus; both species are known as "the green snail". This species is also often confused with Turbo militaris.The Natural History Museum website [http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/species-of-the-day/biodiversity/endangered-species/turbo-marmoratus/taxonomy/index.html] accessed 9 April 2014
Description
The length of the shell varies between 50 mm and 120 mm. The large, solid shell has a globose-conic shape. It is ventricose and imperforate. Its color is green, irregularly mottled and spirally striped with chestnut, closely irregularly striate with the same color. The 6-7 convex whorls show well marked sutures, and numerous more or less conspicuous revolving furrows. The large body whorl is somewhat flattened above. The aperture is subcircular and pearly white within The outer lip is rather thin. The arched columella has a pearly callus, which reappears at the posterior angle. The green parietal wall is nearly devoid of callus. The base of the shell is slightly dilated and scarcely produced.[https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/77914 G.W. Tryon (1888), Manual of Conchology X; Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia] (described as Turbo imperialis Gmelin, 1791)
Distribution
According to the Natural History Museum, this marine species occurs off East Africa, Madagascar, Mauritius and Reunion.
References
{{Reflist}}
- Dautzenberg, Ph. (1929). Contribution à l'étude de la faune de Madagascar: Mollusca marina testacea. Faune des colonies françaises, III(fasc. 4). Société d'Editions géographiques, maritimes et coloniales: Paris. 321–636, plates IV-VII pp.
- Alf A. & Kreipl K. (2003). A Conchological Iconography: The Family Turbinidae, Subfamily Turbininae, Genus Turbo. Conchbooks, Hackenheim Germany.
External links
- {{Gastropods.com|key=5|id=6835|title=Turbo (Dinassovica) imperialis|access-date=16 January 2019}}
{{Commons category|Turbo imperialis}}
File:Turbo imperialis 001.jpg
File:Turbo imperialis 003.jpg
File:Turbo imperialis 004.jpg
{{Taxonbar|from=Q1314207}}