Turbinella laevigata, common name the Brazilian chank, is a species of very large sea snail with a gill and an operculum, a marine gastropod mollusk in the subfamily Turbinellinae of the family Turbinellidae.Rosenberg, G. (2010). Turbinella laevigata Anton, 1838. 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=533539 on 2011-04-03
Subspecies There are two subspecies of this species: Turbinella laevigata laevigata Anton, 1838 Turbinella laevigata rianae Delsaerdt, 1986 (synonym : Turbinella rianae Delsaerdt, 1987)
Description The shell of this species is thick and heavy, and can grow as large as in length.Turbinella laevigata Anton, 1838. Malacolog 4.1.1. A Database of Western Atlantic Marine Mollusca, accessed 20 September 2009.
Distribution This species is found in Brazil.
Life cycle Turbinella laevigata produces egg capsules which enclose an average of 240 eggs. Approximately ten of these eggs bear young which remain in the capsule for a time after hatching. This is an indication that the remaining 230 eggs are a source of nutrition for these juveniles.Matthews-Cascon H., Rocha-Barreira C. de A., Meirelles C., Bigatti G. & Penchaszadeh P. (March–April) 2009. Description of the Ootheca of Turbinella laevigata (Mollusca, Gastropoda). Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology, 52(2): 359-364.
Human use Turbinella laevigata is used as a zootherapeutical product. It is used as a treatment for sexual impotence in traditional Brazilian medicine in the northeast of Brazil.Alves R. R. N. 2009. Fauna used in popular medicine in Northeast Brazil. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 2009, 5:1.
References
External links
Anton, H. E. (1838). Verzeichniss der Conchylien welche sich in der Sammlung von Herrmann Eduard Anton befinden. Herausgegeben von dem Besitzer. Halle: Anton. xvi + 110 pp. Kiener L.C. 1840-1841. Spécies général et iconographie des coquilles vivantes. Vol. 6. Famille des Canalifères. Deuxième partie. Genres Pyrule (Pyrula), Lamarck, pp. 1-34, pl. 1-15
Malacolog info