Neptunea lyrata, also known by the common names New England Neptune, wrinkled whelk, ribbed Neptune, inflated whelk, lyre whelk or lyre Neptune, is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Buccinidae, and is the state shell of Massachusetts. This species consists of several subspecies.
Neptunea lyrata | |
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Apertural view of a shell of Neptunea lyrata showing the operculum | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Gastropoda |
Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
Order: | Neogastropoda |
Family: | Buccinidae |
Genus: | Neptunea |
Species: | N. lyrata
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Binomial name | |
Neptunea lyrata J. F. Gmelin, 1791
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Synonyms | |
Murex lyratus Gmelin, 1791 |
![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Neptunea_lyrata_shell_2.jpg/220px-Neptunea_lyrata_shell_2.jpg)
The New England Neptune (Neptunea lyrata decemcostata) was declared the state seashell of Massachusetts in 1987.[1]
Subspecies
edit- Neptunea lyrata altispira
- Neptunea lyrata lyrata Gmelin, 1791 - lyre whelk
- Neptunea lyrata decemcostata (Say, 1826)[2] – wrinkled whelk or New England Neptune – synonyms:[3] Chrysodomus decemcostata (Say, 1826); Tritonium decemcostata (Say, 1826); Fusus decemcostatus Say, 1826; Neptunea turnerae Clarke, 1956
- Neptunea lyrata turnerae Clarke, 1956
Distribution
editNeptunea lyrata occurs in the Western Atlantic Ocean, and also off Alaska.
References
edit- ^ Galvin, William Francis. "Massachusetts Facts: State Symbols". Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
- ^ Say, T. (1826). "Descriptions of marine shells recently discovered on the coast of the United States". Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 5: 207-221.
- ^ Neptunea lyrata decemcostata (Say, 1826). Malacolog Version 4.1.1. A Database of Western Atlantic Marine Mollusca. Accessed 13 December 2009.