Zebra top snail

Description

The zebra top snail, scientific name Austrocochlea porcata, is a medium-sized sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Trochidae, the top snails, also known as top shells. The size of the shell varies between 20 mm and 43 mm. The shell has a black-and-white banded pattern overlying a light grey to white shell. It is very similar to that of the southern ribbed top snail, Austrocochlea constricta, and until recently the two species were considered to be identical. The aperture is less dilated, than in Austrocochlea constricta. The columellar tubercle is obsolete. This marine species is endemic to Australia and occurs off Central Queensland to Western Australia and also off Tasmania. Austrocochlea is a genus of medium-sized sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Trochidae, the top snails, also known as top shells. This genus was founded as a subgenus by Fisher in 1885 to include a small group of Australian species, included in the genus Monodonta. They had previously been included in Trochocochlea Klein, 1753 (=Osilinus Philippi, 1847), a section that was then restricted to the Mediterranean group. This marine species occurs off the Philippines and mainly off Australia.