Kingdom Animalia Superfamily Ellobioidea Subfamily Ellobiinae Genus Ellobium | Class Gastropoda Family Ellobiidae Phylum Mollusca Rank Species | |
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Similar Ellobium, Cassidula, Ellobiidae, Melampus coffea, Pythia | ||
Ellobium aurismidae, common name Midas's ear shell, is a species of medium-sized, air-breathing, saltmarsh snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Ellobiidae.
Contents
Description
Ellobium aurismidae is one of the largest members of the family. It has a shell reaching a size of 60 – 98 mm. The surface of this shell is usually brown or dark brown, but may also be white. The interior of the shell is white. The body of the animal is brown in colour.
Distribution
This species can be found in the Southwest-Pacific from China and Philippines to Indonesia, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore and in the Australian states of Northern Territory and Queensland.
Habitat
These hollow-shelled snails live in mud flats with vegetation, in mangrove swamps and salt marshes, but preferably away from direct contact with sea water.