Kingdom Animalia Superfamily Tonnoidea Genus Tonna Phylum Mollusca | Class Gastropoda Family Tonnidae Scientific name Tonna tessellata Rank Species | |
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Similar Tonna, Tonna dolium, Tonna allium, Tonna canaliculata, Tonna sulcosa | ||
Tonna tessellata, the Mosaic Tun,Tessellate Tun or Maculated Tun, is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Tonnidae.
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Description
The shell of an adult Tonna tessellata can be as large as 45–150 millimetres (1.8–5.9 in). It is a relatively thin and light weight shell, nearly spherical. The body whorl is inflated, with a very wide aperture. Surface is white, smooth and glossy, with distinctive brown-red markings and sculptured by thick spiral ribs. It lacks the operculum. This sea snail feeds on crustaceans, sea urchins and fishes.
Distribution
This species is widespread from South Africa, Madagascar and Western Pacific to Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Vietnam, Philippines and Japan. It lives in sandy seabed, at depths of 0 to 50 m.