Thylacodes arenarius is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Vermetidae, the worm snails or worm shells.
Description
Shells of T. arenarius are irregular, and can reach a length of about . The diameter of the round opening reach . The inner surface is smooth and shiny. These shells are cemented onto a hard surface and resemble the calcareous tubes of certain marine worms, for example worms in the polychaete family Serpulidae. The visible part of the body is red with cream markings. The foot of this mollusk is atrophied and it has lost its function of movement.
Distribution
This species can be found in the Mediterranean Sea - Eastern Basin and in the North Atlantic Ocean - European waters.
Synonyms
- Lemintina arenaria <small>(Linnaeus, 1758)</small>
- Lemintina selecta <small>(Monterosato, 1878)</small>
- Lemintina selecta var. arborea <small>Monterosato, 1884</small>
- Serpula arenaria <small>Linnaeus, 1758</small> (original combination. Not Polychaeta, transferred to Vermetidae Mollusca)
- Serpulorbis arenarius <small>(Linnaeus, 1758)</small>
- Serpulorbis polyphragma <small>Sasso, 1827</small>
- Serpulus arenarius var. gracilior <small>Mörch, 1859</small> (infrasubspecific)
- Thylacodus polyphragma <small>(Sasso, 1827)</small>
- Thylacodus polyphragma var. aletes <small>Mörch, 1862</small> (synonym)
- Vermetus arenarius <small>(Linnaeus, 1758)</small>
- Vermetus arenarius var. minor <small>Sacco, 1896</small> (junior primary homonym)
- Vermetus dentifer <small>Lamarck, 1818</small> (synonym)
- Vermetus gigas <small>Bivona in Philippi, 1836</small>
- Vermetus gigas f. conglobatus <small>Monterosato, 1892</small>
- Vermetus gigas f. destitutus <small>Monterosato, 1892</small>
- Vermetus gigas var. angulatus <small>Monterosato, 1880</small> (junior primary homonym)
- Vermetus gigas var. conglobata <small>Monterosato, 1892</small> (synonym)
- Vermetus gigas var. destituta <small>Monterosato, 1892</small> (synonym)
- Vermetus gigas var. minor <small>Pallary, 1912</small> (junior primary homonym, permanently invalid)
- Vermetus gigas var. rufa <small>Monterosato, 1892</small> (synonym)
- Vermetus gigas var. typica <small>Monterosato, 1892</small> (synonym)
- Vermetus horridus <small>Monterosato, 1892</small>
- Vermetus horridus f. asperrimus <small>Monterosato, 1892</small>
- Vermetus horridus var. asperrima <small>Monterosato, 1892</small> (synonym)
- Vermetus horridus var. minor <small>Pallary, 1938</small> (junior primary homonym)
- Vermetus polyphragma <small>(Sasso, 1827)</small>
- Vermetus polyphragma f. anguinus <small>Monterosato, 1892</small>
- Vermetus polyphragma f. major <small>Monterosato, 1892</small>
- Vermetus polyphragma f. tortuosus <small>Monterosato, 1892</small>
- Vermetus polyphragma var. anguina <small>Monterosato, 1892</small> (synonym)
- Vermetus polyphragma var. major <small>Monterosato, 1892</small> (synonym)
- Vermetus polyphragma var. tortuosa <small>Monterosato, 1892</small> (synonym)
- Vermetus scopulosus <small>Monterosato, 1892</small>
- Vermetus scopulosus f. discoideus <small>Monterosato, 1892</small> (junior primary homonym)
- Vermetus selectus <small>Monterosato, 1878</small>
- Vermetus selectus f. ramosus <small>Monterosato, 1892</small>
- Vermetus selectus var. arborea <small>Monterosato, 1892</small> (synonym)
- Vermetus selectus var. ramosa <small>Monterosato, 1892</small> (synonym)
- Vermetus verrucosus <small>Monterosato, 1892</small>
- Vermicularia lineolata <small>Gravenhorst, 1831</small> (subjective synonym)
References
- Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Editio decima, reformata. Laurentius Salvius: Holmiae. ii, 824 pp