Kingdom Animalia Class Gastropoda Superfamily Trochoidea Rank Species | Phylum Mollusca Clade Vetigastropoda Family Trochidae | |
Cantharidoscops frigidus, common name the polar margarite, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Trochidae, the top snails.
Contents
Description
The length of the shell varies between 6 mm and 10 mm. The small, polished shell has a conic shape with pale flesh color. It consists of six whorls, including a minute subglobular nucleus. The suture is distinct but not appressed. The whorls are only moderately rounded. The axial sculpture shows faint incremental lines. The spiral sculpture has a few very faint lines near the umbilical region. The base of the shell is rounded and imperforate. The operculum is pale brown with about 8 turns. The aperture is rounded and slightly angular above. The outer lip simple and sharp. The body shows a thin nacreous glaze. The columellar lip is rounded and broader than the rest.
The height of the shell attains 9 mm. The small, conic shell is polished. It has a pale flesh color. It contains six whorls, including a minute subglobular nucleus. The suture is distinct, not appressed. The whorls are only moderately rounded. The axial sculpture consists of faint incremental lines. The spiral sculpture consists of a few very faint lines near the umbilical region. The rounded base is imperforate. The operculum is pale brown with about 8 turns. The rounded aperture is slightly angular above. The outer lip is simple and sharp. The body has a thin nacreous glaze. The columellar lip is rounded, and broader than the rest.
Distribution
This species occurs in the Pacific Arctic and off North Japan; and from the Admiralty Islands, Alaska to Nunivak Island, Bering Sea.
Habitat
This species is found in the following habitats: