Common elephant tooth
| Common elephant tooth | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Housing of Antalis vulgaris |
||||||||||||
| Systematics | ||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Antalis vulgaris | ||||||||||||
| ( da Costa , 1778) |
The Common elephant tusk ( Antalis vulgaris , synonym : Dentalium vulgare ) is a Kahnfüßerart from the family of Dentaliidae . In the North Sea , it is native to the coasts of Great Britain, among other places .
features
The slightly backward tapering, only slightly curved, thick shell of Antalis vulgaris shows some distinct, crooked, concentric growth lines or ridges on the surface. The front case mouth is circular, as is the rear, which has a smooth edge. The rear end is cut off at an angle and closed by a septum with a central tube with a circular opening. In adults, the shell is up to 6 cm long and at the front end, the widest point, 6 mm wide. The surface of the bowl is matt white.
The broad, oval radula has only 5 teeth per row of teeth. The long, pointed, bilobed foot rises from the broad end of the bowl. The edges of the jacket are joined to form an open tube.
Life cycle
Antalis vulgaris is separate sexes. External fertilization takes place, for which purpose both sexual partners release their gametes from the mantle cavity into the open water. The fertilized eggs develop into trochophora- like larvae via an already freely swimming gastrula , which live as zooplankton and only after a few weeks metamorphose into bottom-dwelling scotopods .
nutrition
Antalis vulgaris feeds on detritus and protozoa , which are brought to the mouth with the help of the sticky captacula, long and thin tentacles.
Web links
- MJ de Kluijver, SS Ingalsuo & RH de Bruyne: Dentalium vulgare (da Costa, 1778) . Mollusca of the North Sea.
- Fischhaus Zepkow: Family Dentaliidae - tusks