Lepsiella vinosa
Oyster drill
Distribution
Temperate Australasia
Description
Abundant species among the tubeworms and barnacles on which it feeds in the mid intertidal zone. The shell shape is extremely variable, but always has a number of offwhite ridges on each whorl crossed by ribs and with dark grooves between. Two related species with similar shapes are also common: Lepsiella flindersi, a species found from low-tide level to 10 m depth, has a larger and wider shell with fewer ribs and ridges, and Lepsiella reticulata has a light brown colouration overall and nodulose ridges with dark spots on the nodules.
Information
Max Size: 2 cm
Sea Temperature Range: 11.5-21.2°C
Depth: N/A
Habitat Generalization Index: N/A
Also referred to as the SGI (Species Generalisation Index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here.
Conservation and Rarity
IUCN Status: Not Evaluated
Occurrence: Infrequent (1.8% of sites)
Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed
Abundance: Few (3 per transect)
Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.
Edit by: GJ Edgar. 2008. Australian Marine Life. New Holland, Sydney