chalcides ocellatus , or ocellated skink ( also known as eyed skink or gongilo ) is a species of skink found in greece , southern italy , malta , and parts of northern africa.uae , pakistan , india and sri lanka .

as an adult , it generally reaches about 15 to 30 cm ( 6 to 12 in ) of length with a 22 to 39 g weight and has a small head , cylindrical body , and five toes on each foot .

they are very agile and are often found in arid areas .

it is strongly related to chalcides colosii , and c. colosii was formerly considered a subspecies of c. ocellatus .

c. ocellatus is notable for the presence of ocelli and for its wide variety of coloration patterns .

it preys on various insects , including those with hard exoskeletons , arachnids , and small lizards , including its own young .

in captivity it also eats sweet fruits , boiled eggs and pieces of meat .

females of the species give birth to live young through vivipary .

chalcides ocellatus is considered to be a generalist species and can be found in a wide variety of environments , such as farmland and gravel deserts around the mediterranean coast .

its main escape tactic from predators is to run behind vegetation , most likely because it is not suited to run very fast .

its limbs are somewhat short , but not adapted for fossorial movement .

chalcides ocellatus

lacerta ocellata forskal 1775 : 13 lacerta lateralis thunberg 1787 ( fide lönnberg 1896 : 36 ) lacerta lateralis — lacépède 1788 : 104 stincus ocellatus — meyer 1795 : 30 stincus ocellatus — olivier 1801 : plate 16 gongylus ocellatus — wagler 1830 gongylus ocellatus — duméril & bibron 1839 : 616 gongylus ocellatus — gravenhorst 1851 : 344 seps ocellatus — günther 1871 seps ( gongylus ) ocellatus — boettger 1880 seps ocellatus — boettger 1885 chalcides ocellatus — boulenger 1887 : 400 ? chalcides ocellatus — boulenger 1887 : 408 chalcides ocellatus ocellatus — smith 1935 : 349 chalcides ocellatus tassiliensis [ angel 1936 ] chalcides ocellatus sacchii lanza 1954 chalcides ocellatus sacchii — lanza 1988 chalcides ocellatus — engelmann et al 1993 chalcides ocellatus — schleich , kästle & kabisch 1996 : 334 chalcides ocellatus — largen & spawls 2010 : 371 chalcides ocellatus linosae boulenger 1920 chalcides ocellatus var . linosae boulenger 1920 : 82 chalcides ocellatus linosanus mertens 1921 : 118 chalcides ocellatus linosae — schleich , kästle & kabisch 1996 : 337 chalcides ocellatus subtypicus werner 1931 chalcides ocellatus subtypicus — hediger 1935 chalcides ocellatus suhtypicus [ sic ] — tiedemann 1994 : 21 chalcides ocellatus subtypicus — schleich , kästle & kabisch 1996 : 337 chalcides ocellatus tiligugu ( gmelin 1789 ) ( lacerta ) tiligugu gmelin in linnaeus 1789 chalcides ocellatus var . tiligugu — boulenger 1890 chalcides ocellatus var . tiligugu — anderson 1896 : 49 chalcides ocellatus tiligugu — loveridge 1936 : 73 chalcides ocellatus tiligugu — mutz et al . 1999 chalcides ocellatus tiligugu — wirth 2010 chalcides ocellatus zavattarii lanza 1954 chalcides ocellatus zavattarii — schleich , kästle & kabisch 1996 : 337
links care sheet for chalcides ocellatus from the cyberlizard care sheet for c . ocellatus from the urltoken c . ocellatus page from the cyberlizard scincidae page from the embl reptile database
uterine morphology during the annual cycle in chalcides ocellatus tiligugu ( gmelin ) ( squamata : scincidae ) .
the endocrine pancreas of a squamate reptile , the desert lizard ( chalcides ocellatus ) . a histological and immunocytochemical investigation .
uterine morphology during the annual cycle in chalcides ocellatus tiligugu ( gmelin ) ( squamata : scincidae ) . - pubmed - ncbi
colombo , marco . 2013 . chalcides ocellatus ( ocellated skink ) spider predation . herpetological review 44 ( 2 ) : 320 - 321
the endocrine pancreas of a squamate reptile , the desert lizard ( chalcides ocellatus ) . a histological and immunocytochemical investigation . - pubmed - ncbi
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schlüter , uwe 2006 . der gefleckte walzenskink ( chalcides ocellatus ) . natur und tier verlag ( münster ) , 64 pp . - get paper here
one of my ( 14 years old ! ) captive bred from 1997 female ( tunesian ) chalcides ( ocellatus ) tiligugu seems to be always hungry .
to cite this page : dr . jessie maisano , 2006 ,
chalcides ocellatus
( on - line ) , digital morphology . accessed july 9 , 2018 at urltoken
harbig , p . 1986 . haltung und zucht des gefleckten walzenskinks chalcides ocellatus ( forskal 1775 ) . sauria 8 ( 3 ) : 7 - 9 - get paper here
caputo , vincenzo ; odierna , gaetano ; aprea , gennaro 1993 . karyological comparison of shenops sepsoides , chalcides chalcides , and c . ocellatus ( reptilia : scincidae ) : taxonomic implications . copeia 1993 ( 4 ) : 1180 - 1184 - get paper here
mermer , ahmet 1996 . biological and taxonomical investigations on chalcides ocellatus ( sauria : scincidae ) in anatolia . turkish journal of zoology 20 : 77 - 93 - get paper here
mertens , r . 1921 . zur kenntnis der geographischen formen von chalcides ocellatus forskal ( rept . , lac . ) . senckenbergiana 3 : 116 - 120 - get paper here
roussos , stephanos a . and llewellyn d . densmore , iii . 2014 . geographic distribution : chalcides ocellatus ( ocellated skink ) . herpetological review 45 ( 1 ) : 91
bruekers , j . 2002 . ein schwarzer walzenskink , chalcides ocellatus tiligugu ( gmelin 1789 ) , auf malta . sauria 24 ( 2 ) : 43 - 45 - get paper here
vigni , f . l . 2006 . swimming in the sand with the ocellated skink , chalcides ocellatus . reptilia ( gb ) ( 49 ) : 47 - 53 - get paper here
boulenger , g . a . 1890 . on the varieties of chalcides ocellatus , forsk . ann . mag . nat . hist . ( 6 ) 5 : 444 - 445 - get paper here
lanza , b . 1954 . sue due nuove razze geografiche del chalcides ocellatus ( forskal ) ( reptilia : scincidae ) . monitore zool . ital . 62 : 161 - 173 - get paper here
daut , e . f . and andrews , r . m . ( 1993 ) the effect of pregnancy on thermoregulatory behavior of the viviparous lizard chalcides ocellatus . journal of herpetology , 27 : 6 - 13 .
goldberg , s . r . 2014 . reproduction in the ocellated skink , chalcides ocellatus ( squamata : scincidae ) in israel , already established in mesa , az . sonoran herpetologist 27 ( 3 ) : 59 - 61 . - get paper here
schneider , b . 1981 . chalcides ocellatus - walzenskink . in : böhme , w . ( ed . ) , handbuch der reptilien und amphibien europas , band i . , echsen i . akademische verlagsgesellschaft , wiesbaden , pp . 338 - 354
çiçek , kerim and bayram göçmen . 2013 . food consumption of ocellated skink , chalcides ocellatus ( forskal , 1775 ) ( squamata : scincidae ) , from the cyprus island . acta herpetologica 8 ( 2 ) : 167 - 170 - get paper here
itescu , yuval , alex slavenko , rachel schwarz , shai meiri and panayiotis pafilis . 2016 . a new island record for chalcides ocellatus ( forskål , 1775 ) from kythnos , greece . herpetozoa 29 ( 1 / 2 ) : 98 - 100 - get paper here
within scincidae , chalcides resides within scincinae , a group that includes roughly 28 genera but may not be monophyletic . scincinae ( or some portion thereof ) is thought to be the most basal divergence within scincidae , thus c . ocellatus was scanned because it closely brackets this ancestral node .
lanza , b . 1957 . su alcuni
chalcides
del marocco ( reptilia : scincidae ) . monit . zool . italiano 65 : 85 - 98
boulenger , e . g . 1920 . on some lizards of the genus chalcides . proc . zool . soc . london 1920 : 77 - 83 - get paper here
rösler , h . & wranik , w . 2009 . bemerkungen zur ökologie und fortpflanzung von chalcides ocellata ( forskal . 1775 ) . elaphe 17 ( 3 ) : 42 - 43
chalcides is a live - bearing , or viviparous , lineage . viviparity is not uncommon in squamates : it has in fact evolved independently over 100 times within the clade , and approximately 20 % of squamate species are viviparous . however , some species of chalcides actually develop a complex placental connection between the mother and embryo through which the embryo receives most of its nutrients .
kornilios , p . ; p . kyriazi , n . poulakakis , y . kumlutaş , ç . ilgaz , m . mylonas , p . lymberakis 2010 . phylogeography of the ocellated skink chalcides ocellatus ( squamata , scincidae ) , with the use of mtdna sequences : a hitch - hiker’s guide to the mediterranean . molecular phylogenetics and evolution 54 ( 2 ) : 445 - 456 - get paper here
soliman , m . ; schneider , h . ; zahran , w . ; gabri , m . and shahin , a . b . 1994 . protein variation and taxonomy in some genera of the family scincidae ( reptilia ) in egypt . iv . an electrophoretic study of genetic variation in natural populations of the ocellated skink ( chalcides ocellatus f . ) . j . egypt . ger . soc . zool . , 14 ( b ) : 187 - 225 , cairo
chalcides ocellatus , the ocellated or eyed skink or ' gongilo ' , occurs in southern europe , northwest africa , and western asia . ocellated skinks inhabit a variety of habitats in which sandy ground is present - - coastal areas , among dunes , in vineyards or olive groves - - and may shelter in crevices in dry stone walls , holes in the ground , and matted undergrowth . they can even be found in ruins , such as the acropolis , and garbage dumps .
chalcides ocellatus is a member of scincidae , the largest ' family ' of extant lizards ( see also eumeces fasciatus , the five - lined skink ) . scincidae includes over 1200 species , occurring on all continents except antarctica . skinks are diagnosed in part by the presence of compound osteoderms dorsally and ventrally . these are quite apparent in the animations above , but obscure other skink features like closure of the supratemporal fossa primarily by the postfrontal , and jugal - squamosal contact on the supratemporal arch present or close . high - resolution x - ray computed tomography makes it possible to digitally remove these osteoderms to facilitate the study of cranial structure . animations of c . ocellatus with the osteoderms digitally removed can be found in ' additional imagery ' .
literature blackburn , d . g . 1993 . chorioallantoic placentation in squamate reptiles : structure , function , development , and evolution . journal of experimental zoology 266 : 414–430 . caputo , v . , b . lanza , and r . palmieri . 1995 . body elongation and limb reduction in the genus chalcides laurenti 1768 ( squamata scincidae ) : a comparative study . tropical zoology 8 : 95 - 152 . caputo , v . , m . sorice , and l . crescimbeni . 1999 . a molecular taxonomy of some mediterranean scincid lizards , genus chalcides laurenti 1768 ( reptilia , scincidae ) . russian journal of herpetology 6 : 23 - 32 . greer , a . e . 1970 . a subfamilial classification of scincid lizards . bulletin of the museum of comparative zoology 139 : 151 - 183 . greer , a . e . , v . caputo , b . lanza and r . palmieri . 1998 . observations on limb reduction in the scincid lizard genus chalcides . journal of herpetology 32 : 244 - 252 . leviton , a . e . , s . c . anderson , k . adler , and s . a . minton . 1992 . handbook of middle east amphibians and reptiles . society for the study of amphibians and reptiles , new york . mermer , a . 1996 . the cranial osteology of chalcides ocellatus ( sauria : scincidae ) in anatolia . turkish journal of zoology 20 : 259 - 264 . pasteur , g . 1981 . a survey of the species groups of the old - world scincid genus chalcides . journal of herpetology 15 : 1 - 16 .
chalcides comprises 24 species differing mainly in their degree of limb reduction and body elongation . northern africa is thought to be the center of the evolution of this lineage . analysis of genetic variation within the c . ocellatus group ( caputo et al . , 1999 ) suggests that it may actually contain six reproductively isolated species : c . ocellatus ( southern and eastern morocco , throughout the mediterranean basin , central and southern sahara , and eastern africa as far as pakistan ) ; c . polylepis ( wetern morocco from the atlas mountains to the atlantic coast ) ; c . colosii ( northwestern morocco across the rif mountains ) ; c . montanus ( northern morocco , across the high and middle atlas mountains ) ; c . parallelus ( endemic to northeastern morocco and northwestern algeria ) ; and c . bedriagai ( endemic to the iberian peninsula ) .
named for the numerous black and white eyespots , or ‘ocelli’ , on its back , the ocellated skink ( chalcides ocellatus ) is a typical skink in appearance , with an elongated body , smooth , shiny scales and relatively short limbs . the characteristic eyespots form distinctive bands across its body , although the pattern of spots is variable , with some individuals lacking spots altogether . the background colouration of the upperparts of the ocellated skink may be light brown to yellowish - green or grey , while the underside is usually white ( 2 ) ( 4 ) ( 5 ) ( 6 ) .
greenbaum , e . ; campbell , a . c . & raxworthy , c . j . 2006 . a revision of sub - saharan chalcides ( squamata : scincidae ) with redescriptions of two east african species . herpetologica 62 ( 1 ) : 71 - 89 - get paper here
max . svl 149 mm . subspecies : c . o . zavattarii is probably a hybrid between c . o . ocellatus and c . o . tiligugu ( lanza 1993 ) . c . o . linosae and zavattarii are of doubtful validity ( sindaco & jeremcenko 2008 ) . distribution : see map in smid et al . 2014 for distribution in iran .
karunarathna , d . m . s . s . , l . j . mendis wickramasinghe , v . a . p . samarawickrama and d . a . i . munindradasa . 2008 . the range extension of genus chalcides laurenti , 1768 ( reptilia : scincidae ) to sri lanka . russ . j . herpetol . 15 ( 3 ) : 225 - 228 - get paper here
carranza , s . ; e . n . arnold , ph . geniez , j . roca and j . a . mateo 2008 . radiation , multiple dispersal and parallelism in the skinks , chalcides and sphenops ( squamata : scincidae ) , with comments on scincus and scincopus and the age of the sahara desert . molecular phylogenetics and evolution 46 ( 3 ) : 1071 - 1094 - get paper here
the endocrine pancreas of the desert lizard ( chalcides ocellatus ) was investigated histologically and immunocytochemically . the endocrine tissue was concentrated in the dorsal lobe , where it constituted about 7 % of the total volume . in the ventral lobe the endocrine tissue formed approximately 1 % of the total volume . four endocrine cell types were observed in the pancreas of this species , namely insulin - , glucagon - , somatostatin - and pancreatic polypeptide ( pp ) - immunoreactive cells . the volume occupied by these cells was 1 , 1 , 0 . 6 and 0 . 3 % of the total volume of the pancreas , respectively . insulin - immunoreactive cells were located in the islet centre and comprised 3 % of dorsal and 0 . 2 % of the ventral lobe volume . glucagon cells occurred at the islet periphery and amounted to 3 and 0 . 2 % of the volume of the dorsal and ventral lobes , respectively . somatostatin - immunoreactive cells were located at the islet periphery as well as in between the exocrine parenchyma . they constituted 1 and 0 . 2 % of the volume of the dorsal and ventral lobes , respectively . pp - immunoreactive cells occurred mainly among the exocrine parenchyma as solitary cells . they formed only 0 . 03 % of the volume of the dorsal lobe . the corresponding figure in the ventral lobe was 0 . 6 % .
the uterus of the viviparous skink chalcides ocellatus tiligugu was studied by sem and lm during the annual cycle . three functional phases were identified : preovulatory ( spring ) , gestatory ( summer ) , and quiescent ( autumn - winter ) , characterized by changes in the uterine wall ( mainly the endometrial layer ) . in the preovulatory phase , the uterine wall increases in thickness ; its luminal epithelium has ciliated cells and two types of unciliated secretory cells . the first type secretes sulfated glycosaminoglycans ( gags ) , which form the amorphous inner layer of the eggshell membrane ; the second type secretes acidic glycoproteins that form the intrafibrillar matrix of the outer layer of the eggshell membrane . the lamina propria contains simple alveolar glands that secrete the collagen fibers of the eggshell membrane . during the gestatory phase , the glycoproteins produced by secretory cells of the second type have histotrophic activity for the developing embryo . the uterus widens to form incubation chambers with two hemispheres , one embryonic and the other abembryonic . both a chorioallantoic placenta and an omphaloplacenta with histotrophic activity are present in late gestation . the chorioallantoic placenta , with aspects of a weekes ( 1935 ) type iii placenta , develops in the embryonic hemisphere . the omphaloplacenta forms at the vegetative pole of the egg and shows cellular hypertrophy of the bilaminar omphalopleure and uterus . during the quiescent phase , the uterus gradually decreases in thickness and activity ; its luminal epithelium does not show secretory activity . the annual variations in the myometrial layer involved the inner circular and the outer longitudinal muscle layers .
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juvenile ocellated skinks have a greenish tail , which becomes brown after half a year ( 5 ) . a number of subspecies are recognised ( 1 ) ( 5 ) .
a rather shy and secretive lizard , spending most of its time near or within cover ( 4 ) ( 5 ) ( 6 ) , the ocellated skink is mostly active during the day , or at dawn and dusk during very hot weather ( 5 ) ( 6 ) . it is an active forager , feeding on a variety of invertebrate prey , including beetles , snails , spiders , ants , termites and crickets , as well as small lizards and some plant material ( 5 ) ( 9 ) . like many other lizards ( 10 ) , the ocellated skink is able to shed its tail if attacked by a predator , and is then usually able to regenerate a new one ( 5 ) ( 6 ) .
the ocellated skink is inactive during colder months , hibernating underground in some areas . activity gradually increases in the spring , with mating usually occurring around april ( 3 ) ( 5 ) . during the breeding season , male ocellated skinks may engage in ritualised combat , in which rival males alternately bite the other’s tail ( 5 ) . between april and september the female gives birth to around five to ten live young , after a gestation period estimated at two to three months ( 3 ) ( 5 ) . the ocellated skink may live for up to 13 years in captivity ( 5 ) .
the ocellated skink occurs across north africa from mauritania and morocco to somalia , as well as in southern europe , including many mediterranean islands . it also occurs in western asia , from the arabian peninsula eastwards as far as turkmenistan and pakistan ( 1 ) ( 6 ) ( 7 ) ( 8 ) .
this species usually prefers a mosaic of open ground for basking and dense vegetation cover for hiding , and is reported to inhabit open forest , mediterranean scrub , patches of vegetation on coastal sands , and palm oases , as well as farms , cultivated fields , and even gardens and towns . the ocellated skink often burrows in leaf - litter , and can be found in rock crevices and under stones or wood ( 4 ) ( 5 ) .
there is little information available on the threats faced by the ocellated skink , although this species is believed to be relatively common , and is often found in towns and in agricultural areas ( 5 ) . however , the ocellated skink appears to be readily available in the pet trade , with many specimens reported to be wild - caught ( 11 ) , potentially posing a threat to the wild population .
there are no known conservation measures specifically in place for the ocellated skink , and the species has yet to be assessed by the iucn red list ( 12 ) . however , it is protected in europe under appendix ii of the convention on the conservation of european wildlife and natural habitats ( bern convention ) ( 13 ) , and under annex iv of the eu habitats directive ( 14 ) .
environment agency - abu dhabi is a principal sponsor of arkive . ead is working to protect and conserve the environment as well as promoting sustainable development in the emirate of abu dhabi .
halliday , t . and adler , k . ( 2002 ) the new encyclopedia of reptiles and amphibians . oxford university press , oxford .
schleich , h . h . , kästle , w . and kabisch , k . ( 1995 ) amphibians and reptiles of north africa . koeltz scientific books , koenigstein , germany .
authenticated ( 16 / 12 / 11 ) by olivier s . g . pauwels , research associate at the royal belgian institute for natural sciences , brussels , belgium . urltoken
gestation the state of being pregnant ( gravid ) ; the period from conception to birth . hibernation a winter survival strategy in which the animal passes the winter in a resting state . this period of inactivity is characterised by specific biological and biochemical changes including lowered blood pressure and respiration rate . in reptiles , this is also known as brumation . invertebrate an animal with no backbone , such as an insect , crustacean , worm , mollusc , spider , cnidarian ( jellyfish , coral , sea anemone ) , echinoderm , etc . subspecies a population usually restricted to a geographical area that differs from other populations of the same species , but not to the extent of being classified as a separate species .
firouz , e . ( 2005 ) the complete fauna of iran . i . b . tauris publishers , london .
hellyer , p . and aspinall , s . ( 2005 ) the emirates : a natural history . trident press limited , london .
ananjeva , n . b . , orlov , n . l . , khalikov , r . g . , darevsky , i . s . , ryabov , s . a . and barabanov , a . v . ( 2006 ) the reptiles of northern eurasia . pensoft publishers , sofia , bulgaria .
attum , o . , covell , c . and eason , p . ( 2004 ) the comparative diet of three saharan sand dune skinks . african journal of herpetology , 53 : 91 - 94 .
bartlett , r . d . and bartlett , p . ( 1997 ) lizard care from a to z . barron’s educational series , new york .
natural visions 6 vicarage hill farnham surrey gu9 8hj united kingdom tel : + 44 ( 0 ) 1252 716 700 fax : + 44 ( 0 ) 1252 727 464 info @ urltoken http : / / www . urltoken /
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this frozen specimen originated in the pet trade and no locality information is available . it was made available to the university of texas high - resolution x - ray ct facility for scanning by dr . jessie maisano of the university of texas and dr . jacques gauthier of yale university . funding for scanning and image processing was provided by an nsf grant ( deb - 0132227 ) to dr . jack sites of brigham young university .
the specimen was scanned by matthew colbert on 23 july 2002 along the coronal axis for a total of 630 slices , each slice 0 . 0409 mm thick with an interslice spacing of 0 . 0409 mm .
three - dimensional volumetric renderings of the skull with the osteoderms digitally removed . the ' scratched ' sections indicate where the osteoderms contact the skull . all are 2 - 3mb .
italy ( sardinia , sicily , lampedusa island ) , malta , greece ( crete , karpathos , rhodos , kythnos , kasos ) , cyprus , turkey ( anatolia ) .
linosae : linosa island ; type locality : insel linosa , zwischen sizilien und tunesien ; k . escherich l . d . 1893 . holotype : smf 15926 ( = kat . boettger 6400 o = kat . mertens 6400 , 2a ) .
note : tdwg regions are generated automatically from the text in the distribution field and not in every cases it works well . we are working on it .
type : unlocated ( šmíd et al . 2014 zootaxa 3855 ( 1 ) : 43 ) syntype : r - 31453 [ subtypicus ]
from lat . ocellus = diminuitive of oculus : eye ; with ocellated scales .
al - quran , s . 2009 . the herpetofauna of the southern jordan . american - eurasian j . agric . & environ . sci . , 6 ( 4 ) : 385 - 391 [ this journal has a dubious record , see urltoken
alshammari , ahmed m . and adel a . ibrahim 2015 . lizards and snakes in the historical faid protected area ( faid hema ) , ha ' il region , saudi arabia herp . cons . biol . 10 ( 3 ) : 1021–1029 - get paper here
alshammari , ahmed m . and adel a . ibrahim 2015 . lizards and snakes in the historical faid protected area ( faid hema ) , ha ' il region , saudi arabia . herp . cons . biol . 10 ( 3 ) - get paper here
anderson , john 1896 . a contribution to the herpetology of arabia , with a preliminary list of the reptiles and batrachians of egypt . london , r . h . porter , 124 pp .
anderson , steven c 1999 . the lizards of iran . contributions to herpetology volume 15 , society for the study of amphibians and reptiles , saint louis , missouri : i - vii , 1 - 442 [ review in copeia 2000 ( 4 ) : 1144 ] - get paper here
baha el din , s . 2006 . a guide to the reptiles and amphibians of egypt . the american university in cairo press , cairo . xvi + 359 pp .
baier , f . ; sparrow , d . j . & wiedl , h . j . 2009 . the amphibians and reptiles of cyprus . edition chimaira , frankfurt / m . , ca . 370 pp .
bar , aviad and guy haimovitch 2012 . a field guide to reptiles and amphibians of israel . pazbar ltd , 246 pp . - get paper here
baran , i . ; kumlutas , y . ; olgun , k . ; ilgaz , c . & kaska , y . 2001 . the herpetofauna of the vicinity of silifke . turkish journal of zoology 25 : 245 - 249 - get paper here
barata , mafalda ; ana perera , d . james harris , arie van der meijden , salvador carranza , francisco ceacero , enrique garcía - muñoz , duarte gonçalves , sérgio henriques , fátima jorge , jonathan c . marshall , luis pedrajas and pedro sousa 2011 . new observations of amphibians and reptiles in morocco , with a special emphasis on the eastern region . herpetological bulletin ( 116 ) : 4 - get paper here
bassu , l . ; v . nulchis , m . g . satta , c . fresi & c . corti 2008 . atlas of amphibians and reptiles of sardinia - state of the art and general considerations . herpetologia sardiniae ( claudia corti , ed . ) , edizioni belvedere , 504 pp .
bauer , aaron m . ; jonathan c . deboer , dylan j . taylor 2017 . atlas of the reptiles of libya . proc . cal . acad . sci . 64 ( 8 ) : 155 - 318 - get paper here
blanford , w . t . 1870 . observations of the geology and zoology of abyssinia , made 1867 - 68 . mcmillan ( london ) , xii + 487 pp . - get paper here
bodson , liliane 2009 . l’interprétation des noms grecs et latins d’animaux illustrée par le cas du zoonyme seps - seps . académie royale de belgique , bruxelles , 368 pp .
boettger , o . 1885 . liste der von hrn . dr . med . w . kobelt in algerien und tunisien gesammelten kriechtiere . in w . kobelt ( editor ) , reiseerinnerungen aus algerien und tunis . berichte der senckenbergischen naturforschungs gesellschaft 1885 : 452–475 - get paper here
boettger , o . 1892 . mitteilung über eine reptiliensendung von aden in süd - arabien . ber . tät . offenb . ver . nat . , offenbach , 29 - 32 : 61 - 63 - get paper here
boettger , o . [ as o . böttger ] 1880 . die reptilien und amphibien von syrien , palaestina und cypern . ber . senckenb . naturforsch . ges . , frankfurt / m . , 1879 - 1880 : 132 - 219 - get paper here
bonetti , mathilde 2002 . 100 sauri . mondadori ( milano ) , 192 pp .
boulenger , g . a . 1887 . catalogue of the lizards in the british museum ( nat . hist . ) iii . lacertidae , gerrhosauridae , scincidae , anelytropsidae , dibamidae , chamaeleontidae . london : 575pp . - get paper here
boulenger , g . a . 1889 . on the reptiles and batrachians obtained in morocco by m . henry vaucher . ann . mag . nat . hist . ( 6 ) 3 : 303 - 307 - get paper here
boulenger , g . a . 1896 . a list of the reptiles and batrachians collected by dr . ragazzi in shoa and eritrea . annali mus . civ . stor . nat . genova , giacomo doria , ( 2 ) 16 : 545 - 554 - get paper here
boulenger , g . a . 1887 . a list of the reptiles and batrachians obtained near muscat , arabia , and presented to the british museum by surgeon - major a . s . g . jayakar . ann . mag . nat . hist . ( 5 ) 20 : 407 - 408 - get paper here
boulenger , g . a . 1887 . list of reptiles and batrachians from cyprus . ann . mag . nat . hist . ( 5 ) 20 : 344 - 345 - get paper here
boulenger , g . a . 1891 . on some reptiles collected by sig . l . bricchetti robecchi in somaliland . ann . mus . st . nat . genova ( 2 ) 12 : 5 - 15 [ 1892 ? ]
boulenger , george a . 1890 . the fauna of british india , including ceylon and burma . reptilia and batrachia . taylor & francis , london , xviii , 541 pp . - get paper here
boulenger , george a . 1891 . catalogue of the reptiles and batrachians of barbary ( morocco , algeria , tunisia ) , based chiefly upon the notes and collections made in 1880 - 1884 by m . fernand lataste . tr . zool . soc . 13 : 93 - 164
bourquin , o . 2011 . the terrestrial reptiles of sir bani yas island , united arab emirates . african herp news ( 53 ) : 27 - 34
brown , j . n . b . 1984 . skinks in the uae . bulletin of the emirates natural history group 22 : urltoken - get paper here
carranza s , xipell m , tarroso p , gardner a , arnold en , robinson md , et al . 2018 . diversity , distribution and conservation of the terrestrial reptiles of oman ( sauropsida , squamata ) . plos one 13 ( 2 ) : e0190389 - get paper here
cascio , pietro lo & vincent rivière 2016 . an updated herpetofaunal inventory for some islets of south - eastern tunisia biodiversity journal 7 ( 3 ) : 325–330 - get paper here
disi , a . m . ; modry , d . ; necas , p . & rifai , l . 2001 . amphibians and reptiles of the hashemite kingdom of jordan . edition chimaira , frankfurt , 408 pp .
disi , ahmad m . , zuhair s . amr and harald martens 2004 . on a collection of amphibians and reptiles made by j . klapperich in jordan . herpetozoa 16 ( 3 / 4 ) : 141 - 150 - get paper here
dreckmann , f . 1908 . breeding habits of some snakes and lizards . j . bombay nat . hist . soc . 18 : 434 - get paper here
duméril , a . m . c . and g . bibron . 1839 . erpétologie générale on histoire naturelle complète des reptiles . vol . 5 . roret / fain et thunot , paris , 871 pp . - get paper here
engelmann , w . e . et al . 1993 . lurche und kriechtiere europas . neumann verlag ( radebeul , germany ) , 440 pp .
esterbauer , h . 2005 . der wüstenzoo sidi tijani in der tunesischen oase bled el djerid . reptilia ( münster ) 10 ( 53 ) : 80 - 84 - get paper here
forskål , p . 1775 . descriptiones animalium , avium , amphibiorum , piscium , insectorum , vermium ; quae in itinere orientali observavit petrus forskål . mölleri , hauniae , xxxiv + 164 pp . - get paper here
fritz , j . p . & schütte , f . 1988 . skinke aus der arabischen republik jemen . salamandra 24 ( 1 ) : 41 - 52 - get paper here
fuchs , h . - p . 1979 . als terrarianer auf kreta . herpetofauna 1 ( 1 ) : 18 - 21 - get paper here
geißler , l . 1981 . die skinke der insel zypern . herpetofauna 3 ( 14 ) : 22 - 24 - get paper here
geniez , p . ; mateo , j . a . ; geniez , m . & pether , j . 2004 . the amphibians and reptiles of the western sahara ( former spanish sahara ) and adjacent regions . edition chimaira , frankfurt , 228 pp . [ reviewed in reptilia gb 44 : 81 ]
giovannotti , m . ; v . caputo , p . c . m . o’brien , f . l . lovell , v . trifonov , p . nisi cerioni , e . olmo , m . a . ferguson - smith , w . rens 2009 . skinks ( reptilia : scincidae ) have highly conserved karyotypes as revealed by chromosome painting . cytogenet genome res 127 ( 2 - 4 ) : - get paper here
gmelin , j . f . 1789 . caroli a linné systema naturae . 13 . ed . , tom 1 pars 3 . g . e . beer , lipsiae . 1033 - 1516 pp . - get paper here
gravenhorst , j . l . c . 1851 . über die im zoologischen museum der universität breslau befindlichen wirtelschleichen ( pseudosaura ) , krüppelfüssler ( brachypoda ) , und einige andere , denselben verwandte reptilien aus den zünften der schleichen und dickzüngler [ euprepes striolatus ] . acta acad . caes . leop . carol . nat . cur . 23 ( 1 ) : 291 - 394 [ 1847 ] - get paper here
hediger , h . 1935 . herpetologische beobachtungen in marokko . verhandlungen der naturforschenden gesellschaft in basel 46 : 1 - 49
hraoui - bloquet , s . ; sadek , r . a . ; sindaco , r . & venchi , a . 2002 . the herpetofauna of lebanon : new data on distribution . zoology in the middle east 27 : 35 - 46 - get paper here
ibrahim , adel a . 2013 . the herpetology of the suez canal zone , egypt . vertebrate zoology 63 ( 1 ) : 87–110 - get paper here
jongbloed , m . 2000 . field guide to the reptiles and amphibians of the uae - wild about reptiles . barkers trident communications , 116 pp .
kornilios , panagiotis and thanou , evanthia 2016 . two additions to the herpetofauna of kasos ( aegean sea , greece ) and the role of human - mediated dispersals herpetological review 47 ( 4 ) : 633 - 635
kwet , a . 2010 . reptilien und amphibien europas . kosmos - verlag , stuttgart , 252 pp .
kwet , axel & benny trapp 2014 . liste der reptilien europas . draco 15 ( 60 ) : 72 - 79 - get paper here
lanza , b . 1990 . amphibians and reptiles of the somali democratic republic : check list and biogeography . biogeographia , 14 : 407 - 465 [ 1988 ]
largen , m . j . ; spawls , s . 2006 . lizards of ethiopia ( reptilia sauria ) : an annotated checklist , bibliography , gazetteer and identification . tropical zoology 19 ( 1 ) : 21 - 109 - get paper here
largen , m . j . ; spawls , s . 2010 . amphibians and reptiles of ethiopia and eritrea . edition chimaira , frankfurt , 694 pp .
loveridge , a . 1936 . african reptiles and amphibians in the field museum of natural history . zool . ser . field mus . nat . hist . , chicago , 22 ( 1 ) : 1 - 122 - get paper here
matschie , p . 1893 . über einige von herrn oscar neumann bei aden gesammelte u . beobachtete säugethiere , reptilien und amphibien . sber . ges . naturf . freunde , berlin ( 1893 ) : 24 - 31 .
mediani , mohamed ; josé carlos brito , soumia fahd 2015 . atlas of the amphibians and reptiles of northern morocco : updated distribution and patterns of habitat selection . basic and applied herpetology 29 : - get paper here
meerman , j . c . 1979 . herpetologische waarnemingen in tunesië [ with key ] . lacerta 37 ( 12 ) : 170 - 177 - get paper here
meyer , f . a . a . 1795 . synopsis reptilium , novam ipsorum sistens generum methodum , nec non gottingensium huius ordinis animalium enumerationem . vandenhoeck und ruprecht , göttingen , 32 pp
mutz , t . ; mutz , m . & obst , f . - j . 1999 . herpetologische impressionen von sardinien . elaphe 7 ( 3 ) : 76 - 80
olivier , g . a . 1801 . voyage dans l ' empire othoman , l ' égypte et la perse , fait par ordre du gouvernement , pendant les six premières années de la république ; tome 2nd , chapitre viii . atlas pour servir au voyage dans l ' empire othoman , l ' égypte et la perse , fait par ordre du gouvernement , pendant les six premieres annees de la république ; plate 16 , pp . 199 - 200 - get paper here
padial , j . m . 2006 . commented distributional list of the reptiles of mauritania ( west africa ) . graellsia , 62 ( 2 ) : 159 - 178
rastegar - pouyani , nasrullah ; haji gholi kami , mehdi rajabzadeh , soheila shafiei and steven clement anderson 2008 . annotated checklist of amphibians and reptiles of iran . iranian journal of animal biosystematics 4 ( 1 ) : 7 - 30
rimpp , k . 1979 . herpetologische skizzen aus sardinien . herpetofauna 1 ( 2 ) : 24 - 27 - get paper here
rösler , herbert and wolfgang wranik 2017 . untersuchungen und beobachtungen zur herpetofauna des jemen jemen - report jg . 48 ( 1 / 2 )
salvi , daniele ; pierluigi bombi 2010 . reptiles of sardinia : updating the knowledge on their distribution . acta herpetologica 5 ( 2 ) : 161 - 178 - get paper here
schleich , h . h . 1987 . contributions to the herpetology of kouf national park ( ne - libya ) and adjacent areas . spixiana 10 ( 1 ) : 37 - 80 . - get paper here
schleich , h . h . , kästle , w . , kabisch , k . 1996 . amphibians and reptiles of north africa . koeltz , koenigstein , 627 pp .
schlüter , u . 2002 . die reptilien und amphibien der kerkennah - inseln . elaphe 10 ( 2 ) : 68 - 74
schlüter , u . 2011 . die herpetofauna von rhodos . reptilia ( münster ) 16 ( 88 ) : 66 - get paper here
schlüter , uwe 2010 . die herpetofauna von gozo , comino und satelliteninseln . draco 11 ( 42 ) : 26 - 33
schmidt , k . p . & marx , h . 1956 . the herpetology of sinai . fieldiana 39 ( 4 ) : 21 - 40 - get paper here
sindaco , r . & jeremcenko , v . k . 2008 . the reptiles of the western palearctic . edizioni belvedere , latina ( italy ) , 579 pp . - get paper here
sindaco , r . ; serra , g . & menegon , m . 2006 . new data on the syrian herpetofauna with a newly - recorded species of snake . zoology of the middle - east 37 : 29 - 38 - get paper here
sindaco , roberto ; alberto venchi , giuseppe m . carpaneto , marco a . bologna 2000 . the reptiles of anatolia : a checklist and zoogeographical analysis . biogeographia , 21 - 2000 : 441 - 554 .
sindaco , roberto ; riccardo nincheri , benedetto lanza 2014 . catalogue of arabian reptiles in the collections of the “la specola” museum , florence . scripta herpetologica . studies on amphibians and reptiles in honour of benedetto lanza : pp . 137 - 164 - get paper here
šmíd , jiří ; jiří moravec , petr kodym , lukáš kratochvíl , seyyed saeed hosseinian yousefkhani , eskandar rastegar - pouyani & daniel frynta 2014 . annotated checklist and distribution of the lizards of iran . zootaxa 3855 ( 1 ) : 001–097
smith , m . a . 1935 . the fauna of british india , including ceylon and burma . reptiles and amphibia , vol . ii . sauria . taylor and francis , london , 440 pp .
sowig , p . 1985 . beiträge zur kenntnis der verbreitung und ökologie der amphibien und reptilien kretas . salamandra 21 ( 4 ) : 252 - 262 - get paper here
spawls , s . & rotich , d . 1997 . an annotated checklist of the lizards of kenya . j . east african nat . hist . 86 : 61 - 83 - get paper here
spawls , s . ; howell , k . ; drewes , r . c . & ashe , j . 2002 . a field guide to the reptiles of east africa . academic press , 543 pp . [ reviews in hr 34 : 396 and afr . j . herp . 51 ; 147 ] - get paper here
steindachner , franz 1903 . batrachier und reptilien von südarabien und sokotra , gesammelt während der südarabischen expedition der kaiserlichen akademie der wissenschaften . sitzungsb . akad . wiss . wien , math . - naturwiss . kl . , 112 , abt . 1 : 7 - 14 - get paper here
stöck , m ; g grifoni , n armor , u scheidt , a sicilia , n . novarini 2015 . on the origin of the recent herpetofauna of sicily : comparative phylogeography gfenusing homologous mitochondrial and nuclear genes zoologischer anzeiger , doi : 10 . 1016 / j . jcz . 2015 . 10 . 005 - get paper here
szczerbak , n . n . 2003 . guide to the reptiles of the eastern palearctic . krieger , malabar , fl , 260 pp . - get paper here
thunberg , c . p . 1787 . beskrifning på några fällsynte och okände odlor kongl . vetenskaps academiens nya handlingar , för m _ naderne 1787 ( julius , augustus , september ) : 123 - 128 [ plate iv is on page 343 of the digital version ] - get paper here
tok , c . v . 1999 . resadiye ( datça ) yarımadası kertenkeleleri hakkında ( gekkonidae , agamidae , chamaeleonidae , lacertidae , scincidae , amphisbaenidae ) . tr . j . zool . 23 ( 1 ) : 157–175
trape , j . f . ; trape , s . & chirio , l . 2012 . lézards , crocodiles et tortues d ' afrique occidentale et du sahara . ird orstom , 503 pp . - get paper here
trapp , b . 2007 . reptilien und amphibien des griechischen festlandes . natur und tier verlag ( münster ) , 300 pp . - get paper here
trutnau , l . 1975 . europaische amphibien und reptilien . belser verlag , stuttgart 212 pp .
werner , f . 1894 . zweiter beitrag zur herpetologie von ost - algerien . verh . zool . - bot . ges . wien 44 : 75 - 87 - get paper here
werner , f . 1917 . reptilien aus persien ( provinz fars ) . verhandlungen der kaiserlich - königlichen zoologisch - botanischen gesellschaft in wien , 67 : 191—220 . - get paper here
werner , f . 1919 . wissenschaftliche ergebnisse der mit unterstützung der kaiserlichen akademie der wissenschaften in wien aus der erbschaft treitl von f . werner unternommenen zoologischen expedition nach dem anglo - aegyptischen sudan ( kordofan ) 1914 . iv . bearbeitung de denkschr . akad . wiss wien , math . - naturw . klasse 96 : 437 - 509 - get paper here
werner , f . 1931 . ergebnisse einer zoologischen forschungsreise nach marokko . iii . unternommen 1930 mit unterstützung der akademie der wissenschaften in wien von franz werner und richard ebner . iii . amphibien und reptilien . sitzungsber . akad . wiss . wien mathem . - naturw . , sect . 1 , 140 : 272 - 318 - get paper here
werner , y . l . 1988 . herpetofaunal survey of israel ( 1950 - 1985 ) , with comments on sinai and jordan and on zoogeographical heterogeneity . in : yom - tov , y . & tchernov , e . ( eds . ) the zoogeography of israel , dr . w . junk publishers , dordrecht ( netherlands ) ; isbn 90 - 6193 - 650 - 0
wirth , michael 2010 . der mittelmeerraum – landschaften und herpetofauna in südeuropa . draco 11 ( 42 ) : 4 - 23
zulueta , a . de 1909 . nota sobre reptiles de melilla ( marruecos ) . bol . real sociedad esp . hist . nat . 9 : 351 - 354
this database is maintained by peter uetz ( database content ) and jakob hallermann , zoological museum hamburg ( new species and updates ) .
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there is a high degree of genetic variation in this species particularly between the extreme western and eastern populations . taxonomic work is need to clarify if this is indeed a single species . populations from the hoggar region of southern algeria were sometimes allocated to c . ragazzii ( roberto sindaco pers . comm . ) .
petros lymberakis , aram agasyan , boris tuniyev , dan cogalniceanu , john wilkinson , natalia ananjeva , nikolai orlov , tahar slimani , jose antonio mateo miras , ulrich joger , el hassan el mouden , philippe geniez , sherif baha el din , c . varol tok , roberto sindaco
cox , n . and temple , h . j . ( global reptile assessment )
european regional assessment : least concern ( lc ) eu 27 regional assessment : least concern ( lc ) listed as least concern in view of its wide distribution , tolerance of a broad range of habitats , presumed large population , and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category .
this very widespread species occurs in northern and northeastern africa and west asia , and in a few parts of southern europe . in africa it ranges from central mauritania ( single confirmed locality ) , western sahara ( a single confirmed locality ) , southern , central and northeastern morocco , melilla and the chafarinas archipelago ( spain ) , through northern algeria , tunisia and northern libya to northern egypt , south along the nile valley to sudan , with isolated populations in chad , niger , southern algeria and somalia . in west asia it occurs in western and southern turkey , western syria , lebanon , israel , western and eastern jordan , coastal parts of the arabian peninsula ( in saudi arabia , yemen , oman , united arab emirates , qatar , and kuwait ) , and in iraq , iran , and southern turkmenistan to western pakistan . in europe it is present in italy ( on the islands of sardinia , sicily , lampedusa , linosa , lampione and conigli ; with mainland populations near to naples ) , malta , and a few parts of mainland greece ( and the islands of crete , chios , kea , euboea , rhodes and karpathos ) . it also occurs on cyprus . it is found from sea level up to 2 , 500 m asl ( morocco ) . records from eritrea , ethiopia and kenya are now referred to other species
it is a very common species in many parts of its range . some populations are expanding with land reclamation in arid areas , and the species is well able to colonize new areas wherever it is introduced .
it is a highly adaptable species that is often associated with arid to moist sandy , open areas or places with sparse scrub . it is found in coastal dunes and stabilized vegetated dunes further inland and it is also found in orchards , vineyards , fields , oases , rural gardens and urban areas . a terrestrial species found close to ground cover such as stones and vegetation . it is largely nocturnal in the summer and diurnal in the winter . the females give birth to between two and twenty fully formed live young .
there are no major threats to this species . some populations may be locally threatened by overgrazing and intensification of agriculture , including the use of agrochemicals . it is heavily collected for the pet trade and scientific research in parts of its range ( e . g . egypt ) .
this species is listed on the bern convention . it occurs in a number of protected areas . research is needed to resolve the taxonomy of this possible species complex ( s . baha el din pers . comm . ) .
petros lymberakis , aram agasyan , boris tuniyev , dan cogalniceanu , john wilkinson , natalia ananjeva , nikolai orlov , tahar slimani , jose antonio mateo miras , ulrich joger , el hassan el mouden , philippe geniez , sherif baha el din , c . varol tok , roberto sindaco . 2009 .
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further information : an agile reptile which grows up to 30cm long . colouration is dull brown to yellowish , very glossy and slippery , with scaled eyes and hence giving them the common name of ocellated skink . this species has short legs and often crawls on its abdomen when moving . it is commonly found between stones of rubble walls and open stoney spaces , less frequent in sandy localities . it feeds on small insects , worms , larvae and woodlice . gives birth to 2 - 3 young who can live between 5 - 10 years . a mediterranean species reported only from north africa , malta , sicily and south italy and greece .
all material and data on this webpage is under the copyright of the author of this site - stephen mifsud / urltoken / malta . ( 2002 - 2010 )
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to cite this page : myers , p . , r . espinosa , c . s . parr , t . jones , g . s . hammond , and t . a . dewey . 2018 . the animal diversity web ( online ) . accessed at https : / / animaldiversity . org .
disclaimer : the animal diversity web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students . adw doesn ' t cover all species in the world , nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe . though we edit our accounts for accuracy , we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts . while adw staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable , we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control .
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charonia tritonis , common name the triton 's trumpet or the giant triton , is a species of very large sea snail , a marine gastropod mollusc in the family ranellidae , the tritons .

charonia tritonis

charonia tritonis variegata lamarck , 1816 now accepted as charonia variegata ( lamarck , 1816 ) . charonia tritonis tritonis linnaeus , 1758 .
charonia tritonis variegata lamarck , 1816 now accepted as charonia variegata ( lamarck , 1816 ) . charonia tritonis tritonis linnaeus , 1758 .
proposal : inclusion of the giant triton charonia tritonis on appendix ii , cites .
charonia tritonis preys on : acanthaster planci this list may not be complete but is based on published studies .
michael wunderli added the german common name
tritonshorn
to
charonia tritonis ( linnaeus , 1758 )
.
charonia tritonis , commonly called the triton ' s trumpet , is one of the largest gastropods found in india .
nick hope marked the english common name
pacific triton
from
charonia tritonis ( linnaeus , 1758 )
as trusted .
nick hope marked an unknown common name in an unknown language from
charonia tritonis ( linnaeus , 1758 )
as trusted .
' charonia tritonis ' . hardy ' s internet guide to marine gastropods . accessed on jan 27 , 2013 . url : urltoken
nick hope marked the english common name
triton ' s trumpet
from
charonia tritonis ( linnaeus , 1758 )
as trusted .
charonia tritonis laid on its back . this was the only way to
force
the animal to come out of the shell without using force .
gofas , s . ( 2012 ) . charonia tritonis . accessed through : world register of marine species at urltoken on 2013 - 01 - 27 .
charonia tritonis . ( 2013 , january 26 ) . in wikipedia , the free encyclopedia . retrieved 09 : 06 , january 27 , 2013 , from urltoken
' < i > charonia tritonis < / i > ' . hardy ' s internet guide to marine gastropods . accessed on jan 27 , 2013 . url : urltoken
the giant triton shell , charonia tritonis , is one of the most valuable molluscs on the coral reefs of the tropical pacific . unfortunately it ' s
value
has two flavours .
gofas , s . ( 2012 ) . < i > charonia tritonis < / i > . accessed through : world register of marine species at urltoken on 2013 - 01 - 27 .
< i > charonia tritonis < / i > . ( 2013 , january 26 ) . in wikipedia , the free encyclopedia . retrieved 09 : 06 , january 27 , 2013 , from urltoken
embed this arkive thumbnail link (
portlet
) by copying and pasting the code below . < a href =
urltoken
title =
arkive photo - triton snail ( < i > charonia tritonis < / i > ) attacking crown of thorns starfish
> < img src =
urltoken
alt =
arkive photo - triton snail ( < i > charonia tritonis < / i > ) attacking crown of thorns starfish
title =
arkive photo - triton snail ( < i > charonia tritonis < / i > ) attacking crown of thorns starfish
border =
0
/ > < / a >
{ author1 , author2 . . . } , ( n . d . ) . charonia tritonis ( linnaeus , 1758 ) . [ online ] india biodiversity portal , species page : { name of species field } available at : urltoken [ accessed date jul 10 , 2018 ] .
( of murex tritonis linnaeus , 1758 ) beu , a . ( 2010 ) . catalogue of tonnoidea . pers . comm . [ details ]
( of murex tritonis linnaeus , 1758 ) linnaeus , c . ( 1758 ) . systema naturae per regna tria naturae , secundum classes , ordines , genera , species , cum characteribus , differentiis , synonymis , locis . editio decima , reformata . laurentius salvius : holmiae . ii , 824 pp . , available online at urltoken [ details ]
scientific synonyms and common names murex lampas linné , 1758 murex gyrinoides brocchi , 1814 murex nerei dillwyn , 1817 ; partim triton nodiferum lamarck , 1822 tritonium mediterraneum risso , 1826 triton gyrinoides var . singilla de gregorio , 1884 triton gyrinoides var . imperans de gregorio , 1884 triton gyrinoides var . inflectilabrum de gregorio , 1884 triton gyrinoides var . labroplita de gregorio , 1884 triton gyrinoides var . ficarazzensis de gregorio , 1884 triton gyrinoides var . normalis de gregorio , 1893 triton gyrinoides var . cochleosocia de gregorio , 1893 triton gyrinoides var . carinata de gregorio , 1893 simpulum nodiferum var . minor pallary , 1900 simpulum nodiferum var . major pallary , 1900 charonia mirabilis parenzan , 1970 murex tritonis sensu auct . non linné , 1758
a couple of years ago i cam across a charonis tritonis and i am ashamed to admit that i removed the animal and used its shell as a trophy . when i found out that this species is actually endangered because too many people do exactly the same thing i felt really bad but there was nothing i could do . . or so i though . well , this year ( 2003 ) i came across one more c . tritonis which i found at a depth of about 8 meters in syros island . it was a good opportunity to correct my previous mistake by moving this animal to safer deeper place thus making its collection more difficult . but , why not take some close up pictures first ? after all , you don ' t come across it every day ( actually it was the second c . tritonis i ever saw alive ) . so i took it , found a rock in shallow waters to have enough sunlight and turned it upside down so it would have to get out in order to regain its normal position . i got my pictures and then left it in a hidden spot which was much deeper than before .
( of murex tritonis linnaeus , 1758 ) dautzenberg , ph . ( 1929 ) . contribution à l ' étude de la faune de madagascar : mollusca marina testacea . faune des colonies françaises , iii ( fasc . 4 ) . société d ' editions géographiques , maritimes et coloniales : paris . 321 - 636 , plates iv - vii pp . ( look up in imis ) [ details ]
in greek mythology , triton blew charonia trumpets to terrify giants during battles between them and the gods . another myth tells how tyrrhenus and his companions would feast on human flesh , so people fled and nobody came to a funeral when a comrade had died . tyrrhenus avoided this by blowing a shell trumpet , thereby declaring they now intended not to devour them . in line with this myth , romans depicted shell trumpets in tombs and sarcophages .
( of eutritonium tritonis ( linnaeus , 1758 ) ) dautzenberg , ph . ( 1929 ) . contribution à l ' étude de la faune de madagascar : mollusca marina testacea . faune des colonies françaises , iii ( fasc . 4 ) . société d ' editions géographiques , maritimes et coloniales : paris . 321 - 636 , plates iv - vii pp . ( look up in imis ) [ details ]
like snails and sea slugs , the giant triton is a gastropod . most gastropods have a shell and a muscular foot they use to move around .
the giant triton spends its days crawling around coral reefs . its shell is not only beautiful , but useful , protecting it from predators that cannot break through its hard surface .
the giant triton is one of the biggest snails in the reef , growing up to 2 feet long ! many people think its shell is one of the most gorgeous in the world . though the giant triton looks harmless , it is a predator ! it uses its teeth to inject its prey with a poison found in its spit . the poison stuns , or paralyzes , its prey , which the triton then eats alive at leisure .
a distinctive shell , with a pointed spire and a large body whorl . exterior creamy with darker brown dashes and chevrons . aperture large , orange , and with banded lip .
possibly the best known gastropod shell . a distinctive shell , up to 50 cm , with a pointed spire and a large body whorl . exterior creamy with darker brown dashes and chevrons . aperture large , orange , and with banded lip . feeds on echinoderms , especially the crown - of - thorns starfish . habitat : among shallow coral and sand . distribution : indo - pacific . ( richmond , 1997 ) .
spry , j . f . ( 1961 ) . the sea shells of dar es salaam : gastropods . tanganyika notes and records 56
depth range based on 40 specimens in 1 taxon . water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 39 samples . environmental ranges depth range ( m ) : 1 - 127 temperature range ( °c ) : 22 . 924 - 25 . 789 nitrate ( umol / l ) : 0 . 049 - 1 . 422 salinity ( pps ) : 35 . 128 - 35 . 621 oxygen ( ml / l ) : 4 . 256 - 4 . 971 phosphate ( umol / l ) : 0 . 075 - 0 . 332 silicate ( umol / l ) : 0 . 982 - 2 . 877 graphical representation depth range ( m ) : 1 - 127 temperature range ( °c ) : 22 . 924 - 25 . 789 nitrate ( umol / l ) : 0 . 049 - 1 . 422 salinity ( pps ) : 35 . 128 - 35 . 621 oxygen ( ml / l ) : 4 . 256 - 4 . 971 phosphate ( umol / l ) : 0 . 075 - 0 . 332 silicate ( umol / l ) : 0 . 982 - 2 . 877 note : this information has not been validated . check this * note * . your feedback is most welcome .
feeds on echinoderms , especially acanthaster planci , a starfish that feeds on corals .
myers , p . , r . espinosa , c . s . parr , t . jones , g . s . hammond , and t . a . dewey . 2006 . the animal diversity web ( online ) . accessed february 16 , 2011 at urltoken . urltoken
the giant triton eat sea urchins and sea stars , and will often eat the crown - of - thorns sea star . too many crown - of - thorn sea stars can destroy an entire reef by eating too much coral . so when the giant triton eats them , it is also protecting coral reefs by keeping down the numbers of crown - of - thorns sea stars . because it only eats other animals , it is a carnivore .
some people will catch the giant triton to sell its shell in souvenir shops . but it should not be taken out of the reef , as its diet happens to be very important to the health of the reef .
listed in cites : no . listed in wildlife ( protection ) act : yes . schedule : 1 appendix : part iv ( b ) mollusca
shells widely sold as decorative items . also used as trumpets in some places . in india , a single shell of this species can sometimes cost as much as rs . 2000 or more .
by feeding on acanthaster planci that feeds on corals , good numbers of this snail species help maintain the health of coral reefs . excessive trade and therefore depletion of these snails may have harmful effects on coral reefs in the snail ' s range .
. reaching up to two feet ( or 60 cm ) in shell length this is one of the biggest mollusks in the coral reef .
the shell is well known as a decorative object , and is sometimes modified for use as a trumpet ( such as the japanese horagai ) .
of australia and the western pacific reefs . the triton has been described as tearing the starfish to pieces with its file - like
because of a lack of trade data concerning this seashell , the berne criteria from cites were not met , and the proposal was consequently withdrawn . while this species may be protected in australia and other countries ( such as india ) ,
it can be legally traded and is found for sale in many shell shops around the world and on the internet .
powell , g ( 1979 ) .
stars for kings
. sea frontiers 25 ( 5 ) : 282–285 .
india ministry of environment and forests notification s . o . 665 ( e ) . new delhi , 11 july 2001 . ]
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urn : lsid : biodiversity . org . au : afd . taxon : f9d854a8 - ee49 - 475d - b440 - 7ebd624d0d54
urn : lsid : biodiversity . org . au : afd . taxon : 0835ad90 - 10cb - 46a1 - 9fe1 - 248c31032668
urn : lsid : biodiversity . org . au : afd . name : 536410
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as you can see , the animal is slowly emerging from its shell - photos by g . j . reclos / mch
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turgeon , d . d . , j . f . quinn , jr . , a . e . bogan , e . v . coan , f . g . hochberg , w . g . lyons , et al .
common and scientific names of aquatic invertebrates from the united states and canada : mollusks , 2nd ed .
disclaimer : itis taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available , and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties . however , it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes . while every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and up - to - date information available , ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in provisions of treaties to which the united states is a party , wildlife statutes , regulations , and any applicable notices that have been published in the federal register . for further information on u . s . legal requirements with respect to protected taxa , please contact the u . s . fish and wildlife service .
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economically , the beauty of it ' s shell dooms this glorious creature to dusty shelves of shell factories and shell collectors . islanders , too , collect the triton to eat and to make into ceremonial trumpets . no triton is safe on the reefs for every person who sees one grabs it - either for fun or profit - killing it with delight at their own good fortune .
environmentally , the value of the giant triton is far greater than the pretty prices paid by shell enthusiasts . the triton preys on starfish and especially likes to pounce on the very thorny crown of thorns starfish , acanthaster planci . a reef without tritons is very much like a person without sufficient cancer killing cells . sooner or later the crown of thorns will undergo a population bloom on a reef , just as periodically some of our own cells turn cancerous . without predatory controls , these population blooms increase rapidly and the cancerous growth of thousands of starfish literally devours the living coral tissues that sustain the ecology of the coral reefs .
this particular triton is nominally protected because it is within the ilot maitre marine reserve where visitors are not allowed to take or kill any living creature . nobody knows for sure how long tritons live , possibly a very long time if they are left to themselves . the largest tritons are about half a metre long . the one in this photo is only 30 - cm long but it ' s thickened shell and erosion of the apex made me think it was already pretty old .
freddy and i left the shell where it was - wishing it well and hoping that its somewhat drab appearance will protect it from avid collectors who might be prepared to ignore the laws that forbid it ' s collection . with luck it will continue to protect the colorful living corals that surround it for many years . and with luck you might see it yourself if you visit escapade island resort new caledonia and go for a snorkel on this reef .
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to cite this page : myers , p . , r . espinosa , c . s . parr , t . jones , g . s . hammond , and t . a . dewey . 2018 . the animal diversity web ( online ) . accessed at https : / / animaldiversity . org .
disclaimer : the animal diversity web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students . adw doesn ' t cover all species in the world , nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe . though we edit our accounts for accuracy , we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts . while adw staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable , we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control .
this material is based upon work supported by the national science foundation grants drl 0089283 , drl 0628151 , due 0633095 , drl 0918590 , and due 1122742 . additional support has come from the marisla foundation , um college of literature , science , and the arts , museum of zoology , and information and technology services .
describes average size , max , range ; type of size ( perimeter , length , volume , weight . . . ) .
a distinctive shell , with a pointed spire and a large body whorl . exterior creamy with darker brown dashes and chevrons . aperture large , orange , and with banded lip .
describes the general appearance of the taxon ; e . g body plan , shape and color of external features , typical postures . may be referred to as or include habit , defined as the characteristic mode of growth or occurrence associated to its environment , particularly for plants . comprising its size , shape , texture and orientation . example : tree , shrubs , herbs . may also be referred to include anatomy .
feeds on echinoderms , especially acanthaster planci , a starfish that feeds on corals .
summary of general nature of feeding interactions . for example , basic mode of nutrient uptake ( autotrophy , heterotrophy , coprophagy , saprophagy ) , position in food network ( top predator , primary producer , consumer ) , diet categorization ( detritovore , omnivore , carnivore , herbivore ) . specific taxa are treated under associations ( specifying predators or prey ) and associatedtaxa .
general description of the sites where the species is found ( ecosystem , forest , environment or microhabitat ) . includes realm ( e . g terrestrial etc ) and climatic information ( e . g boreal ) ; also includes requirements and tolerances ; horizontal and vertical ( altitudinal ) distribution . also includes information referring to territorial extension of the individual or group in terms of its activities ( feeding , mating , etc . ) , associated mostly to vertebrates .
by feeding on acanthaster planci that feeds on corals , good numbers of this snail species help maintain the health of coral reefs . excessive trade and therefore depletion of these snails may have harmful effects on coral reefs in the snail ' s range .
negative impacts on humans , communities . includes invasiveness . [ this may also include impacts on ecosystems should the organism decline or be extirpated ]
describes the likelihood of the species becoming extinct in the present day or in the near future . population size is treated under population biology , and trends in population sizes are treated under trends . however , this is the preferred element if an object includes all of these things and details about conservation listings .
legal regulations or statutes relating to the taxon - international , national or regional . this could include proposed or existing laws or a group of laws .
shells widely sold as decorative items . also used as trumpets in some places . in india , a single shell of this species can sometimes cost as much as rs . 2000 or more .
known or potential benefits of the species for humans , at a direct economic level , as instruments of education , prospecting , eco - tourism , etc . it includes published material or suggestions from the author or others . in any event , the source must be explicitly quoted . can include ecosystem services . however , benefits to ecosystems not specific to humans are best treated under risk statement ( what happens when the organism is removed )
' protected species of mollusca ' . malacology division , zoological survey of india , kolkatta , west bengal , india . url : urltoken
on the molluscan fauna of lakshadweep included in various schedules of wildlife ( protection ) act of in . . .
out of the 24 species of marine molluscs included in schedule i and iv of the wildlife ( protecti . . .
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description possibly the best known gastropod shell . a distinctive shell , up to 50 cm , with a pointed spire and a large body whorl . . . .
description possibly the best known gastropod shell . a distinctive shell , up to 50 cm , with a pointed spire and a large body whorl . exterior creamy with darker brown dashes and chevrons . aperture large , orange , and with banded lip . feeds on echinoderms , especially the crown - of - thorns starfish . habitat : among shallow coral and sand . distribution : indo - pacific . ( richmond , 1997 ) . [ details ]
beu a . g . ( 1998 ) . résultats des campagnes musorstom : 19 . indo - west pacific ranellidae , bursidae and personidae ( mollusca : gastropoda ) , a monograph of the new caledonian fauna and revisions of related taxa . mémoires du muséum national d ' histoire naturelle . 178 : 1 - 255 . , available online at urltoken [ details ]
spencer , h . g . , marshall , b . a . & willan , r . c . ( 2009 ) . checklist of new zealand living mollusca . pp 196 - 219 . in : gordon , d . p . ( ed . ) new zealand inventory of biodiversity . volume one . kingdom animalia : radiata , lophotrochozoa , deuterostomia . canterbury university press , christchurch . [ details ]
liu j . y . [ ruiyu ] ( ed . ) . ( 2008 ) . checklist of marine biota of china seas . china science press . 1267 pp . ( look up in imis ) [ details ] available for editors [ request ]
( of septa tritonia perry , 1810 ) beu , a . ( 2010 ) . catalogue of tonnoidea . pers . comm . [ details ]
( of triton marmoratum link , 1807 ) beu , a . ( 2010 ) . catalogue of tonnoidea . pers . comm . [ details ]
occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution . it is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by rls divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed
abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per rls transect , where present .
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the giant triton is a very large marine snail that can reach sizes of one and a half feet long ( 0 . 5 m ) . this species is also known as triton’s trumpet , named for the son ( triton ) of the greek god of the sea ( poseidon ) and the fact that the shell can be used to make trumpet - like sounds .
the giant triton is an active predator and is known to aggressively chase its prey , which it detects with its excellent sense of smell . though the chase may seem slow to human observers , the giant triton is known for relatively high speeds , especially for a snail . it prefers to eat other snails and sea stars , most notably the crown - of - thorns starfish . large outbreaks of the crown - of - thorn starfish , which feed on reef - building corals , are known to threaten the health of coral reefs . the giant triton is one of the only natural predators of that starfish . for that reason , this species is considered by the australian government to be extremely important to reef health and is given legal protection in that country and others . once the giant triton chases down a snail or starfish , its venomous saliva paralyzes the prey .
the giant triton reproduces through internal fertilization , and the female lays her sticky eggs on the sand , where they quickly become covered with sand and other material , offering them camouflage and protection from egg predators .
though the giant triton is thought to be a key species in limiting potential outbreaks of the crown - of - thorns starfish , it is collected at many places around the world because its shell is valuable as a trade good . they are often sold in shops or markets in popular tourism destinations in the tropics .
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with a sharp , undercut edge on the side facing down the spiral . the
) . it is reasonably common as far north as the southern parts of the bay of biscay but beyond that is sporadic in its occurrence .
graham , alastair f . r . s . , 1988 . molluscs : prosobranch and pyramidellid gastropods . synopses of the british fauna ( ns ) , 2 : 1 - 662 .
poppe , g . t . & y . goto , 1991 . european seashells . vol . i . 352 pp . wiesbaden / verlag christa hemmen .
seaward , d . r . , 1990 . distribution of the marine molluscs of north west europe . nature conservancy council .
sowerby , g . b . , 1859 : illustrated index of british shells . london .
the chavín culture in peru ( 1500–300 bc ) blew lobatus galeatus trumpets in rituals in which shell trumpets would blast around people from unseen directions as they walked through dark labyrinths .
the aztecs of mexico ( 1325–1521 ad ) used lobatus gigas as trumpet shells . quetzalcoat , god of dawn and rising venus , created man by travelling to the underworld and retrieving human bones of previous worlds . the god of death would give him bones on condition that quetzalcoatl encircled the underworld four times , blasting from a shell . [ a perhaps missing text : without drilling holes in it , without blowing it himself . ] quetzalcoatl turned the shell into a trumpet by calling worms to drill holes into it , and by calling humming bees to enter it and make it roar . he then shed blood from wounds he inflicted on himself on the retrieved bones , thereby spawning man . aztec priests blew shell trumpets five times a night to call people to the bloodletting rites .
abel js , rick jw , huang pp , kolar ma , smith jo , chowning jm ( 2005 ) on the acoustics of the underground galleries of ancient chavin de huántar , peru . in : proceedings of the acoustics 2008 , paris , pp 4167–4172
both aa ( 2004 ) shell trumpets in mesoamerica . in : hickmann e , eichmann r ( eds ) studien zur musikarchäologie 4 . leidorf , rahden / westfalen , pp 261–277
fuente b ( 1996 ) la pintura mural prehispanica en mexico : teotihuacan , 2 vols . universidad nacional autonomia de mexico city , mexico city
hyginus ( 1960 ) the myths of hyginus , fabulae 274 ( trans : grant m ) . kansas university press , lawrence
kerr j ( 1989–1997 ) the maya vase book . a corpus of rollout photographs of maya vases , 5 vols . kerr associates , new york
rick jw ( 2005 ) the evolution of authority and power at chavin de huántar , peru . archaeol pap am anthropol ass 14 : 71–89
skeqtes r ( 1991 ) triton’s trumpet : a neolithic symbol in italy . oxf j archaeol 10 : 17–31
younger jg ( 1988 ) the iconography of late minoan and mycenaean sealstones and finger rings . bristol classical press , bristol
heller j . ( 2015 ) sacred sounds from sea shells . in : sea snails . springer , cham
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from the earliest time of his evolution , man has had a connection to molluscs , long before he was capable to realise , what a mollusc is .
for the early human tribes living near the coast of the sea , molluscs were a welcome source of protein , easy and undangerous to collect . the appealing beauty of the molluscs ' shells soon found the way into human art , be it mussel shells as a plate for the cave painter or important feasts to be introduced by the sound of a triton ' s horn . the shells of mussels and snails could be used as jewellery , pearls also as an adornment .
the birth of venus
( botticelli , 1482 ) . enlarge view ! picture : wikipedia .
prehistoric shell heaps , the so called køkkenmøddinger , bear witness to the amounts of shells processed by a tribe through time .
not only snails and mussels have been used by prehistoric tribes to craft jewellery . the elongate shells of elephant tusks , scientifically referred to as scaphopods ( scaphopoda ) were crafted into bracelets and necklaces , as can be seen in an exhibition of the asparn ( zaya ) prehistoric museum . even today , elephant tusks are used for jewellery by native american indians .
scaphopods ( scaphopoda ) . prehistoric museum in asparn ( zaya ) , lower austria .
from greek history we know many scientific names of molluscs in use today . so the term octopus is not latin , but greek ( πους = foot ) . also in the world of greek mythology , there are stories of molluscs , even if the mollusc only rarely plays the main role . so the goddess of love , aphrodite , after being born from foam ( hence her name ) , reaches the shore with the help of a large mussel , as we may admire in the painting by alessandro botticelli .
less enjoyable is the story of the monsters scylla and charybdis from the odyssey . it may be assumed , that scylla , a many - armed monster , is in fact an exaggerated description of an octopus . octopuses , like their mythical relative , remain lurking in a cave and catch careless sea - living bypassers , though not seamen , but crustaceans .
hercules club ( haustellum brandaris ) , a mediterranean purple shell . picture : roberto pillon .
the most important molluscs of antiquity may well have been the purple shell . the famous hoplites of sparta donned a mantle of the valuable colour , the same , which in stripes decorated the togae of roman equites (
knights
) and senators . at least it was eternalized as
imperial
purple , reserved to the roman emperor and his byzantine followers in history . the byzantine emperor justinian i . ( 483 – 565 ) , by his purple coat , is easily recognized among his courtiers . today , purple is the colour of the roman catholic cardinals .
antiquity ' s purple colour is usually connected to the phoenicians in modern lebanon . but it could even be found earlier , in minoan crete of 1600 bc . the purple colour develops as the secretion of a tiny gland near the gills of a sea shell . this secretion of the hypobrancheal gland discolours in contact with oxygen from the air to become purple . as each snail only produces a minimal amount of colour , about 12 , 000 of them had to be killed at that time to render 1 . 5 grams of purple dye . in lebanon today whole hills can be found built by the heaps of shells from the colour industry . pliny the elder ( 23 – 79 ad ) in his naturalis historia describes the complicated production process .
several species of sea shells have been used to produce purple . among those in the mediterranean the best known are the hercules club ( haustellum brandaris ) , as well as the purple shell ( hexaplex trunculus ) . in the north , the dog whelk or northern purple shell ( nucella lapillus ) has been used ; purple fabrication , for example , is known from the irish coast in co . mayo . another species of purple shell is the red - mouthed rock snail ( stramonita haemastoma ) . purple shells all are relatives systematically ; they belong to the family of rock snails or murex snails ( muricidae ) , a name that also can be retraced to pliny the elder ' s naturalis historia .
in africa , cowry shells had been used as currency for so long , they were exchanged directly into modern money in some places . originally the idea to use cowry shells as currency comes from ancient china , from the 12th century bc . from there , the idea spread to india ( 1st century ad ) , until by the 10th century , cowry shells were also used in africa . in the times of sinbad ( during the reign of the abbasid caliph harun al rashid 763 – 809 ad ) , cowry shells were already widely used as currency in the orient . until cowry shells were introduced in the americas by european traders ( and readily accepted by the natives ) the currency had spread over all of africa . their distribution surmounted all known money coins , even the renowned maria theresia thaler , an austrian coin from the 18th and 19th century .
the advantages of cowry money are obvious : they are durable , difficult to forge , and they have a limited source of supply . but even here inflation struck : soon cowry shells had to be paid in sacks of hundreds and thousands . even in the scientific names of shells their role as currency is mirroring : monetaria moneta ( the coin ) and monetaria annulus ( the ring ) . until the 18th century , the majority of cowry currency came from the maldives and lakkadives islands of the indian ocean .
at the latest , when renaissance brought a return to the mythology and art of antiquity , molluscs as well regained some importance as a piece of art , and as an object in painting . botticelli ' s ( 1445 – 1510 ) already mentioned painting
the birth of venus
is well known . at that time , the time of discoveries , a growing amount of tropical sea shells found its way into the halls of europe . many of that time ' s
naturalia
collections have been the historical core collections of modern natural history museums .
cut - out section of abraham mignon ( 1640 – 1679 )
flower still life with insects and two snails
.
the discovery of nature : naturalia in the art chambers of the 16th and 17th century . exhibition in the vienna natural history museum , 2007 : .
in still life paintings , terrestrial snails also can be seen to an increased extent . from the multitude of comparable pictures only two shall be mentioned : jan davidsz de heem ( 1606 – 1683 )
still life with fruit , flowers , mushrooms , insects , snails and reptiles
, as well as abraham mignon ( 1640 – 1679 )
.
in india the shankha is a symbol for the preserver god vishnu and his consort , the goddess of riches , lakshmi . from the shankha shell ( also referred to as indian chank ) , a marine gastropod named turbinella pyrum , trumpets are made that are adorned with carvings and used during religious rituals .
a hindu priest blowing on a shankha during a feast . source : wikipedia . picture : claude renault .
in art the shankha appears as well , in connection with vishnu , as a symbol for water it also stands for female fertility and for the holy snakes ( nagas ) . turbinella pyrum , a member of the turbinellidae family ( caenogastropoda ) , is a marine predator snail , which occurs in the indian ocean .
wikipedia : shankha . jacksonville shell club : turbinella pyrum ( a dextral and a sinistral specimen ) .
i would like to finish the present page with a personal note : in the course of my biology studies , i once was asked by the professor , what kind of a fossil snail he held in his hand . my identification exercises were unsuccessful , until i was enlightened that the snail in question was in fact an ornament from a tombstone on a paris cemetery…
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mkt 438 , uop mkt 438 , uop mkt 438 complete course , uop mkt . . .
bshs 445 , uop bshs 445 , uop bshs 445 complete course , uop . . .
ntc 406 , uop ntc 406 , uop ntc 406 complete course , uop ntc . . .
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hrm 554 , uop hrm 554 , uop hrm 554 complete course , uop hrm . . .