Lyria michardi

Lyria michardi
Shell of Lyria michardi (holotype at MNHN, Paris)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Neogastropoda
Family:	Volutidae
Genus:	Lyria
Species:	L. michardi
Binomial name
Lyria michardi Bail, 2009[1]
Synonyms
Lyria (Indolyria) michardi Bail, 2009· accepted, alternate representation

Lyria michardi is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Volutidae, the volutes.^[2]

Description

Lyria michardi is a large species, reaching up to 50 mm in length. The shell is a glossy white with brown spiral bands. The aperture is large and oval. The spire is high and conical. The siphonal canal is long and slender.^{[citation needed]}

Lyria michardi is found in the Indo-Pacific region, from Madagascar to the Philippines. It is a deep-water species, living at depths of 100 to 500 m.^{[citation needed]}

The diet of Lyria michardi is not well known, but it is thought to eat other gastropods. It is a predatory snail, and uses its long siphonal canal to suck up its prey.^{[citation needed]}

Lyria michardi is a prized shell among collectors. It is a rare and beautiful species, and can fetch high prices.^{[citation needed]} The shell is sometimes called the "Madagascar Volute" or the "Michardi Volute".^{[citation needed]}

The species was first described by Bail in 2009.

The shell is thought to be threatened by overfishing. ^{[citation needed]}

Lyria michardi is a hermaphroditic species, meaning that each individual snail has both male and female reproductive organs.^{[citation needed]}

Distribution

This marine species occurs off Southern Madagascar.

References

• Bail P. (2009). A new species of Lyria (Gastropoda) from the southwestern coast of Madagascar. Novapex 10(2): 65-67

This page was last edited on 31 May 2024, at 04:41