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Taxonomy
Family: Subfamily:
TROCHIDAE: CANTHARIDINAE
Full Classification:
Mollusca (Phylum)
> Gastropoda (Class)
> Vetigastropoda (Subclass)
> Trochida (Order)
> Trochoidea (Superfamily)
> Trochidae (Family)
> Cantharidinae (Subfamily)
> Cantharidus (Genus)
> opalus (Species)
Genus Synonyms:
=Cantharidus (Cantharidus) Montfort, 1810
=Cantharidus (Plumbelenchus) Finlay, 1926
=Cantharidus (Pseudomargarella) Donald & Spencer, 2016
=Micrelenchus (Plumbelenchus) Finlay, 1926
=Trochus (Cantharidus) Montfort, 1810
Synonymised Names:
=Cantharidus (Cantharidus) opalus (Martyn, 1784) accepted, alternate representation
=Cantharidus iris (Gmelin, 1791)
=Cantharidus opalus cannoni Powell, 1933
=Cantharidus opalus var. biangulatus Suter, 1908
=Limax opalus Martyn, 1784
=Trochus acuminatus Perry, 1811
=Trochus iris Gmelin, 1791
Images: Cantharidus opalus (Martyn, 1784)
Found on seaweed below low tide, Doubtless Bay, Northland. 44mm
Washed up around rocks, Mahia Peninsula, East Cape, NZ. 35mm
(cannoni form) - Cape Pattison, Chatham Islands, below low tide. 46mm
(cannoni form) - Found on seaweed below low tide, Chatham Islands. 47mm
Taxonomy
Family: Subfamily:
TROCHIDAE: CANTHARIDINAE
Full Classification:
Mollusca (Phylum)
> Gastropoda (Class)
> Vetigastropoda (Subclass)
> Trochida (Order)
> Trochoidea (Superfamily)
> Trochidae (Family)
> Cantharidinae (Subfamily)
> Cantharidus (Genus)
> opalus (Species)
Genus Synonyms:
=Cantharidus (Cantharidus) Montfort, 1810
=Cantharidus (Plumbelenchus) Finlay, 1926
=Cantharidus (Pseudomargarella) Donald & Spencer, 2016
=Micrelenchus (Plumbelenchus) Finlay, 1926
=Trochus (Cantharidus) Montfort, 1810
Synonymised Names:
=Cantharidus (Cantharidus) opalus (Martyn, 1784) accepted, alternate representation
=Cantharidus iris (Gmelin, 1791)
=Cantharidus opalus cannoni Powell, 1933
=Cantharidus opalus var. biangulatus Suter, 1908
=Limax opalus Martyn, 1784
=Trochus acuminatus Perry, 1811
=Trochus iris Gmelin, 1791
Details: Cantharidus opalus (Martyn, 1784)
Size/Grows to:
Height 53mm, Width 39mm
Distribution:
North, South, Stewart and Chatham Islands. Littoral to moderate depths
Notes:
Opal Top Shell, Marine, Native - Endemic
Distribution Map
 
References and Publications
  • Mead, K., Carson, K., Raven, J.L., Couper, J., Elliot, M., Elliot, C., Bracegirdle, S. Nov/2021 Notes on NZ Collected Species, Cookia, 33 (p.19)
  • Powell, A.W.B. 1979 New Zealand Mollusca: Marine, Land and Freshwater Shells, Collins, Auckland (p.54)

*98 © Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (CC-BY-NC-ND)

NZ Geographical Regions
Key to symbols used in Checklist.
Fw =
Freshwater
L =
Land
N =
North Island
S =
South Island
R =
Recent
Sf =
Subfossil
Fo =
Fossil
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