Caribbean Vase
Vasum muricatum (Born, 1778)
Family Turbinellidae
The Caribbean Vase is a rare shell which is sometimes found on S. Hutchinson Island beaches.
Caribbean Vase (S. Hutchinson Island- October 2020)
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Vasum muricatum
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
(unranked): clade Caenogastropoda
clade Hypsogastropoda
clade Neogastropoda
Superfamily: Muricoidea
Family: Turbinellidae
Genus: Vasum
Species: V. muricatum
Binomial name
Vasum muricatum
(Born, 1778)
Synonyms
Turbinella pugillaris Lamarck, 1822
Vasum muricatum, common name the Caribbean vase, is a species of medium to large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Turbinellidae.[1]
Description
Vasum muricatum has a large, thick and heavy shell that reaches a length of 50 – 100 mm. The shell is quite elongated, conical or vase-shaped (hence the common name). There are blunt spines at the shoulder and near the base. The shell is off- white with black or dark brown periostracum externally, while the aperture is usually white. The columella has 5 strong folds, the first and third being the largest.[2]
Distribution
This species is widespread in the Caribbean Sea. In Venezuela this species has been reported from the state of Falcon,[3] Nueva Esparta[4][5][6] and Dependencias Federales.[7]
Habitat
This species i rather common and is often found in pairs in shallow water. It preys on worms and clams.[8]
Gallery
Vasum muricatum from Los Monjes Archipelago, Venezuela.
Vasum muricatum from Los Monjes Archipelago, Venezuela.
Vasum muricatum from Isla La Tortuga
Vasum muricatum from Isla La Tortuga
References
Morris, A. P. (1973): “A Field Guide to Shells of the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts and the West Indies”. Hougmon Mifflin Co Boston.
Abbott, R Tucker (1974). American Seashells. D. Van Nostrand Reinhold. Ltd. New York. 663.
Bitter, Ricardo S. y Martínez E. Rafael. 2001: Inventario de los moluscos marinos en las costas del estado Falcón, Venezuela. Acta Biologica Venezuelica, 21(1):21-41.
Macsotay, O. 1982: Intervalos batimetabólicos y batimétricos de algunos moluscos bentónicos marinos de Venezuela. BOL. Soc. Ven. Cien. Nat. 37:103-147
Princz, D. 1973: Moluscos gastrópodos y pelecipodos del Estado Nueva Esparta, Venezuela. Mem. Soc. Cien. Nat. La Salle, 33:169-222
Princz, D y a González de Pacheco. 1981: Los moluscos marinos del Parque Nacional La Restinga, isla de Margarita, Venezuela. Ministerio del ambiente y de los Recursos Naturales Renovables. Serie informes cientifico. Zona 14/IC/1-42
Capelo, J.C. y J. Buitrago. 1998: Distribución d e los moluscos marinos en el oriente de de Venezuela. Mem. Soc. Cien. Nat. La Salle, 150:109-160.
Warmke, Germaine L. & Abbott, R Tucker. (1961): Caribbean Seashells. Livingston Publishing Company. Narbeth. Pennsylvania.
External links
WoRMS
ITIS
Boldsystem
Biodiversity Heritage Library
EOL
NCBI
Smithsonian NMNH