Olivella (gastropod)

Olivella
A live individual of Olivella biplicata with its pale siphon showing at the front and the very long, rather dark, posterior mantle tentacle laid back against the upper surface of the shell
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
(unranked): clade Caenogastropoda

clade Hypsogastropoda
clade Neogastropoda

Superfamily: Olivoidea
Family: Olivellidae
Genus: Olivella
Swainson, 1831[1]

Olivella, common name the dwarf olives, is a genus of small predatory sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Olivellidae, the dwarf olives. Olivella is the type genus of the family.[2]

Description

Adults in the Olivella species are usually quite small, hence the genus has the common name "dwarf olive". Species of Oliva are usually larger, but there are exceptions.

The shell of Olivella usually has a keel-like twist at the anterior end of the columella. The wall above it may be concave or have deep furrows. The inner lip can sometimes show a deep callus, and in many cases this extends over the parietal wall to the end of the aperture. This callus formation may extend to the spire but leave the suture open. Most species of Olivella have a thin, chitinous operculum, but this operculum is lacking in Olivella nivea, as is also the case in species of Oliva.

Species

Species in the genus Olivella include:[2][3]

Species brought into synonymy 

References

  1. ↑ Swainson W. J. (1831). Zool. Illust. (2)2(13): plate 58.
  2. 1 2 WoRMS (2010). Olivella Swainson, 1831. In: Bouchet, P.; Gofas, S.; Rosenberg, G. (2010) World Marine Mollusca database. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=138274 on 2011-01-02
  3. ↑ Olivella Swainson, 1831. ITIS, accessed 26 September 2009.
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