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Lined
nerite snail
Nerita articulata
Family Neritidae
updated
Sep 2020
Where
seen? This
snail in a pin-striped suit is commonly seen in mangroves, often in
large numbers. It may also be seen on rocky shores especially those
near mangroves, on many of our shores. According to Tan & Clements, the Lined nerite is probably the
most widely distributed of our nerites. Although also commonly seen
on seawalls, it is most abundant in monsoon canals walls and mangrove
trees, sometimes numbering in the hundreds in a single location. It is also known as Nerita lineata or N. balteata. Sites included many mainland shores, as well
as Pulau Ubin and Pulau Semakau.
Features: 2-3cm. Shell thick heavy
oval, spire does not stick out. Shell pattern beige, greyish or pinkish with
fine, spiralling black ribs. The
flat underside is smooth, white, sometimes with yellow patches. Small
notched 'teeth', usually three, on the straight edge at the shell
opening. Operculum thick, evenly covered in tiny bumps, pinkish with
black blotches. Body pale with fine black bands on the foot and long
thin black tentacles. |
Berlayar, Jan 09 |
Tuas, May 07 |
Pulau Sarimbun, Mar 05 |
| What does it eat? It grazes on
algae. It appears to return to the same spot after a feeding bout.
How it does this is not known, but possibly, it lays down a mucus
trail that it follows back to its resting spot. |
Lim Chu Kang, Apr 09 |
Sungei Buloh, Mar 05 |
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| Lined
nerite snails on Singapore shores |
| Other sightings on Singapore shores |
Sembawang, Oct 20
Photo
shared by Vincent Choo on facebook. |
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Links
References
- Tan Siong
Kiat and Henrietta P. M. Woo, 2010 Preliminary
Checklist of The Molluscs of Singapore (pdf), Raffles
Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore.
- Tan, S.K.
& Clements, R. (2008) Taxonomy
and distribution of the Neritidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) on Singapore.
Zoological Studies 47(4): 481-494.
- Tan, K. S.
& L. M. Chou, 2000. A
Guide to the Common Seashells of Singapore. Singapore
Science Centre. 160 pp.
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