PORT PHILLIP BAY


Ribbed Top Shell 

Austrocochlea constricta (Lamarck, 1822)

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

See below for information.

Source: Museum Victoria (2006) Melbourne's wildlife: a field guide to the fauna of greater Melbourne. Museum Victoria and CSIRO Publishing.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Mollusca
Subphylum:
Conchifera
Superclass:
Visceroconcha
Class:
Gastropoda
Subclass:
Orthogastropoda
Order:
Vetigastropoda
Superfamily:
Trochoidea
Family:
Trochidae
Subfamily:
Trochinae
Genus:
Austrocochlea
Species:
constricta

General Description

Shell rough with distinct raised spiral ridges. Short pointed end (spire). Usually white or grey, sometimes with light or dark zigzag lines or stripes. Shell up to 2 cm long.

Biology

Ribbed Top Shells are often referred to as Periwinkles, but they are not related to the European shells of this name. Other top shells in this genus also live in Victoria and have various striped and checked patterns.

Habitat

Rocks on intertidal reefs.

Reefs

Coastal shores

Distribution guide

Southern Australia.

Species Group

Sea snails and shells Snails

Depth

Shore (0-1 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

2 cm

Diet

Herbivore

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

Conservation Status

  • DSE Advisory List : Not listed
  • EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
  • IUCN Red List : Not listed

Author

article author Patullo, B.

Blair Patullo is Online Producer for marine projects at Museum Victoria.

citation

Cite this page as:
Patullo, B., 2011, Ribbed Top Shell, Austrocochlea constricta, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 20 Sep 2024, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/10933

Text: creative commons cc by licence