ASTALIUM CALCAR SHELLS 

Astralium calcar

Astralium calcar is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Turbinidae, the turban snails.

The height of the shell is about 1 inch, its diameter is approximately 1 1/2 inches. The aconoid (cone-shaped) shell is more or less depressed at the apex. Its color pattern is grayish greenish, or brownish cinereous (ashy grey). The six whorls are flattened above, and radiately (to proceed in a direct line from or toward a center) plicate (folded lengthwise like a fan), the folds rather unequal and irregular. The periphery is carinated ( having a ridge or shaped like a ridge) spinose (resembling a spine; spinelike), bearing about twelve radiating more or less foliated spines upon the body whorl. This body whorl descends deeply toward the aperture. The convex base is concentrically more or less densely squamosely (thin and flat like a scale) lirate (fine lines or ridges). The outer lirae (fine lines or ridges) are generally prominent and subspinose (situated beneath the spine's protruding vertebrae or bumps) , sometimes causing the periphery to appear bicarinate (dividing into two points at the end). The aperture is transversely oval, very oblique, generally golden within, and stained with purple or blue on the columella (structure resembling a column).

These marine species are found in seas off the Philippines, Indo-Malaysia and Queensland, Australia.

(REF:Astralium calcar (Linnaeus, 1758). Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species) (REF: G.W. Tryon (1888), Manual of Conchology X; Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia) (REF: Williams, S.T. (2007). Origins and diversification of Indo-West Pacific marine fauna: evolutionary history and biogeography of turban shells (Gastropoda, Turbinidae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society)

Scientific classification

Domain: Eukaryota

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Mollusca

Class: Gastropoda

Subclass: Vetigastropoda

Order: Trochida

Superfamily: Trochoidea

Family: Turbinidae

Genus: Astralium

Species: A. calcar

Binomial name: Astralium calcar

(Linnaeus, 1758)

(REF: (REF:Astralium calcar (Linnaeus, 1758). Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species))

AC1-7

One Astralium CalCar shell, size ranging from 1/2 to 1.25 inches..... .10