| Galeodea echinophora | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Ashell ofGaleodea echinophora | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
| Order: | Littorinimorpha |
| Family: | Cassidae |
| Genus: | Galeodea |
| Species: | G. echinophora |
| Binomial name | |
| Galeodea echinophora (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
Galeodea echinophora, thespiny bonnet orhelmet shell,[1] is aspecies of largesea snail, amarinegastropodmollusk in thefamilyCassidae, the helmet snails and bonnet snails.[2][3]
The fossil record of this species dates back from theMiocene to theQuaternary (age range: 23.03 to 0.781 million years ago). These fossils have been found in India, Spain and Italy.[4]
The shell ofGaleodea echinophora can reach a length of 50–110 millimetres (2.0–4.3 in).[1] The shell is globular or oval, with a largebody whorl. The surface of the shell is yellowish-brown. Theaperture is wide, with denticulatelips, a curvedsiphonal canal and a largecolumellar edge. Tubercles are quite variable, usually not very pronounced and may be entirely absent.[5] These mollusks are carnivorous and eat mostly echinoderms, especiallyEchinocardium cordatum.
This species can be found in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and in the North Atlantic Ocean, mainly in Western Africa.[1] It lives on sandy and muddy bottoms over 10 m in depth.
