Veined Rapa Whelk [Rapana venosa]
Description
The Veined Rapa Whelk is a large predatory sea snail that can reach up to 18 cm in shell length. The shell is globular with a short spire and large body whorl. The exterior of the shell is typically reddish-brown with dark brown dashes forming irregular axial streaks. They inhabit sandy or muddy substrates in temperate seas, from the intertidal zone to depths of around 30 meters. They are voracious predators, feeding primarily on bivalves.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Mollusks
Mollusca
|
|---|---|
| Class |
Gastropods
Gastropoda
|
| Order |
Neogastropoda
Neogastropoda
|
| Family |
Murex snails
Muricidae
|
| Genus |
Rapana
Rapana
|