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Taxon profile

species

Golden Star-shell
Bellastraea aurea (I.H. Jonas, 1844)

kingdom Animalia - animals »  phylum Mollusca - mollusks »  class Gastropoda - gastropods »  order Trochida »  family Turbinidae - Turbans and Star Shells »  genus Bellastraea

Scientific synonyms

Trochus aurea Jonas, 1845
Micrastraea aurea (Jonas, 1844)
Astralium aureum (Jonas, 1845)
Carinidae granulata Swainson, 1855
Carinidae ornata Tenison-Woods, 1876
Carinidae tasmanica Tenison-Woods, 1877

Images

Bellastraea aurea - Golden Star-shell

Author: Jan Delsing

Bellastraea aurea - Golden Star-shell

Author: Jan Delsing

Bellastraea aurea - Golden Star-shell

Author: Macpherson & Gabriel

Taxon in country check-lists*

* List of countries might not be complete

Description

Shell small, solid, yellowish or golden, depressedly conical, imperforate. Spire about half the length of shell. Whorls ornamented with diagonal ribs (which occasionally divide towards the periphery) crossed by concentric lirae, the point of crossing more or less producing beads giving the surface a granular appearance, more evident at the base. Interior nacreous. Aperture transversely oval; outer lip sharp; columella broad; operculum solid, calcareous. Size: 0,75 inch.
Macpherson, J.H. & Gabriel, C.J., 1962. Marine Molluscs of Victoria.

Interchangeable taxa

This is a rather attractive shell identified by its peculiar oblique, bifurcating, longitudinal ribs, distinct granulated base, and nacreous interior. Consistency of colour is not apparent, olive and vivid green examples being of frequent occurrence

Distribution

It is a common species on the whole Victorian coastline and occurs in Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia.
Author: Jan Delsing

Links and literature

EN Australian Faunal Directory [e36107e7-2748-4e84-8736-b5b920b47d71]

ABRS (2009-2019): Australian Faunal Directory [https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/home], Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra [as Astralium aureum (Jonas, 1845)]
Data retrieved on: 15 February 2015
EN Galli C.: WMSDB - Wolrdwide Mollusc Species Data Base July 10, 2013 [http://www.bagniliggia.it/WMSD/WMSDhome....] [as Bellastraea aurea (Jonas, 1844)]
Data retrieved on: 22 November 2013

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