Aristofusus excavatus, common name apricot spindle, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Fasciolariidae, the spindle snails, the tulip snails and their allies.MolluscaBase eds. (2020). MolluscaBase. Aristofusus excavatus (G. B. Sowerby II, 1880). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1318056 on 2020-11-30
Description Aristofusus excavatus has a shell reaching a size of 60 – 86 mm. The surface of this spindle-shaped shell is yellowish, with darker yellowish areas.
(Original description in Latin) The shell is slender and fusiform, with a tawny (fulvous) base color.
It is characterized by prominent spiral lirae (ridges) with finer interstriae (fine grooves between the ridges). The shell is also adorned with prominent, widely spaced axial ribs (costae). These ribs are tuberculate-lirate (ridged and bearing distinct nodules/tubercles).
The shell comprises 10 prominent whorls. These whorls are distinctly and deeply excavated or channeled just below the suture.Sowerby, G. B., II. (1842-1887). Thesaurus Conchyliorum: Or monographs of genera of shells. London, privately published: vol. 1: p. 1-438, pl. 1-91 [cover date 1847]; vol. 2: p. 439 899, pl. 92-186 [cover date 1855]; vol. 3: p. 1-331, pl. 187-290 [cover date: 1866]; vol. 4 p. 1-110, pl. 292-423 [cover date 1880]; vol. 5: p. 1-305, pl. 424-517 [cover date 1887] - Details of dates in Petit R.E. 2009 Zootaxa 2189: 35-37
Distribution This species can be found in southeastern United States and from the Gulf of Mexico to northeastern Brazil. It lives on sandy and mud bottoms at depths from 30 to 160 m.
References
External links Dall W.H. 1889. Reports on the results of dredging, under the supervision of Alexander Agassiz, in the Gulf of Mexico (1877-78) and in the Caribbean Sea (1879-80), by the U.S. Coast Survey Steamer "Blake", Lieut.-Commander C.D. Sigsbee, U.S.N., and Commander J.R. Bartlett, U.S.N., commanding. XXIX. Report on the Mollusca. Part 2, Gastropoda and Scaphopoda. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoölogy at Harvard College, 18: 1-492, pls. 10-40
Encyclopedia of life John W Tunnell Jr, Jean Andrews, Noe C. Barrera Encyclopedia of Texas Seashells: Identification, Ecology, Distribution Rosenberg, G.; Moretzsohn, F.; García, E. F. (2009). Gastropoda (Mollusca) of the Gulf of Mexico, Pp. 579–699 in: Felder, D.L. and D.K. Camp (eds.), Gulf of Mexico–Origins, Waters, and Biota. Texas A&M Press, College Station, Texas