Voluta ebraea | |
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The Hebrew volute in its natural habitat | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Gastropoda |
(unranked): | clade Caenogastropoda clade Hypsogastropoda clade Neogastropoda |
Superfamily: | Muricoidea |
Family: | Volutidae |
Genus: | Voluta |
Species: | V. ebraea |
Binomial name | |
Voluta ebraea Linnaeus, 1758 |
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Synonyms | |
Voluta hebraea Born, 1778 |
Voluta hebraea Born, 1778
Voluta chlorosina Lamarck, 1811
Voluta turbinata Kiener, 1839
Voluta ebraea, common name the Hebrew volute, is a species of medium-sized sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Volutidae, the volutes. The Hebrew volute is endemic to Brazil, where it its collected both for food and for its shell, which is highly desired for ornamental purposes. Recent studies indicate that natural populations of Voluta ebraea may be suffering declines due to overfishing and overexploitation.
This sea snail is found only along the north and northeastern Brazilian coast in the littoral zone. This species is endemic to those areas. It is present in many Brazilian states and regions, including Pará, Maranhão, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe, Bahia and Abrolhos Marine National Park.
The shell length of this species may reach and exceed 200 mm, up to 220 mm, although lengths from 100 mm to 150 mm are more common.