Nassarius sinusigerus is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Nassariidae, the nassa mud snails or dog whelks.
Description
Ecology Nassarius sinusigerus is an opportunistic scavenger. Studies in the Gulf of Aqaba found the species is strongly attracted to organically enriched sediments beneath fish farm cages, likely due to increased food availability, though its distribution is limited by adverse sediment conditions such as anoxia and high sulfide levels. Because of this sensitivity, the species' distribution has been proposed as a potential bioindicator of sediment quality near aquaculture operations.
The shell size varies between 6.5 mm and 12 mm. Distribution This species occurs in the Red Sea and in the Indian Ocean off Madagascar, off the Philippines and in the central Pacific Ocean. In the Gulf of Aqaba, the species has been recorded at depths of around 24 metres, where it is a dominant member of the macrobenthic community near fish farms.
References
Dautzenberg, Ph. (1929). Mollusques testacés marins de Madagascar. Faune des Colonies Francaises, Tome III Cernohorsky W. O. (1984). Systematics of the family Nassariidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda). Bulletin of the Auckland Institute and Museum 14: 1–356 Vine, P. (1986). Red Sea Invertebrates. Immel Publishing, London. 224 pp Lozouet P. & Plaziat J.C. (2008) Mangrove environments and molluscs. Abatan River, Bohol and Panglao Islands, central Philippines. Hackenheim: Conchbooks. 160 pp.
External links
Adams, A. (1852-1853). Catalogue of the species of Nassa, a genus of gasteropodous Mollusca belonging to the family Buccinidae, in the collection of Hugh Cuming, Esq., with the description of some new species. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. (1851) 19: 94-112 A. A. (1860). Descriptions of new shells collected by the United States North Pacific Exploring Expedition. Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History. 7: 323-336 Smith, E. A. (1899). Natural history notes from H.M. Indian Marine Survey Steamer 'Investigator,' Commander T. H. Heming, R.N. — Series III., No. 1. On Mollusca from the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. Annals and Magazine of Natural History. ser. 7, 4 (22): 237-251 Melvill, J. C. & Standen, R. (1901). The Mollusca of the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman and Arabian Seas as evidenced mainly through the collections of Mr. F. W. Townsend, 1893-1900, with descriptions of new species. Part 1, Cephalopoda, Gastropoda, Scaphopoda. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. 1901 (2): 327-460.