Zafra melitoma

Zafra melitoma
Shell of Zafra melitoma (holotype)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Neogastropoda
Superfamily:	Buccinoidea
Family:	Columbellidae
Genus:	Zafra
Species:	Z. melitoma
Binomial name
Zafra melitoma (Melvill & Standen, 1901)
Synonyms
Columbella (Seminella) melitoma Melvill & Standen, 1901 superseded combination Columbella melitoma Melvill & Standen, 1901 superseded combination

Zafra melitoma is a species of sea snail in the family Columbellidae, the dove snails.^[1]

Description

The length of the shell attains 3.25 mm, its diameter 1.5 mm.

This minute, ovate-obese shell is semipellucid. It contains six whorls of which three smooth ones in the protoconch. It is perfectly distinct from all forms of Zafra selasphora and, seemingly, the whorls are more ventricose than in Colombella atomella Duclos, 1840 (synonym of Zafra pumila (Dunker, 1860) ). Zafra melitoma differs in its ventricose whorls, thick ribs, smooth, excepting where crossed by slender lirae towards the base of the body whorl, and golden-yellow colour. The opaque white spiral band just below the sutures is likewise characteristic. The aperture is narrow. The outer lip is incrassate with denticles pointing inwards. The simple columella is almost upright.^[2]

Distribution

This marine species occurs off the Pakistan coast.

References

1. MolluscaBase eds. (2023). MolluscaBase. Zafra melitoma (Melvill & Standen, 1901). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=511617 on 2023-10-11
2. 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