Syrinx aruanus, common name the Australian trumpet or false trumpet, is a species of extremely large sea snail measuring up to 91 cm long and weighing up to 18 kg. It is a marinegastropodmollusk in the family Turbinellidae, and is the only species in the genus Syrinx.
A synonym for the genus Syrinx: Megalatractus Murex aruanus Linnaeus, 1758 Megalatractus aruanus (Linnaeus, 1758) Murex gigasBorn, 1780[3] Fusus proboscidiferusLamarck, 1822[4] Cerithium brazieriTryon, 1887[5]
This is the largest extant snail (shelled gastropod) species in the world, and arguably the largest (heaviest) gastropod in the world. Although the shell itself is quite well known to shell collectors because of its extraordinary size, little is known about the ecology and behavior of the species,[7] except for one study about its feeding habits.
1681 engraving of a shell of Syrinx aruanus by Filippo Bonanni. Here the coiling of the shell appears to be reversed, this is due to the engraving process.
In 1681, Filippo Bonanni depicted this species in one of the first books ever published that was solely about seashells.[8] The book was entitled: "Ricreatione dell' occhio e dela mente nell oservation' delle Chiociolle, proposta a' curiosi delle opere della natura, &c."[9]
The taxonomic affinities of Syrinx aruanus were not properly understood for a long time. Until fairly recently it was placed in the family Melongenidae. A detailed taxonomic overview of this species was provided by Harasewych & Petit (1989).[10]
Description
Dorsal view of a shell
This is the largestrecent (as opposed to fossil) shelled gastropod, and the largest shelled gastropod by weight. (However, the largest shell-less gastropod or slug is Aplysia vaccaria, a giant sea hare known as the California black sea hare. The largest A. vaccaria has been measured at 99 cm in length and weighing in at almost 14 kg). An extremely large species of fossil gastropod is Campanile giganteum.
The overall height (also known as length) of the shell of S. aruanus is up to 91 cm[7] (see also Hawaiian Shell News, 1982). The weight of the shell is about 1800 g.
The shell is usually pale apricot in color, however in life it is covered by thick brown or grey periostracum.[11] The shell color can fade to a creamy yellow.[12] The whole shell has a spindle-like shape. The spire of the shell is high. The whorls usually have a strong keel[11] which can have nodules on it.[12] The shell has a long siphonal canal. There are no folds on the columella, unlike some other genera within the same family.
Juvenile shells show a long tower-shaped protoconch or embryonic shell of 5 whorls, which is usually lost in the adult.[12] This protoconch is about 2.5 cm long and looks so unlike the adult shell that it was described by George Washington Tryon in 1887 as a different species.
The weight of the animal (including the shell) can be up to 18 kg (40 lb). The radula of this species was described in detail by Wells et al. (2003).[7]
These giant snails live on sandy bottoms in the intertidal zone and the sublittoral down to about 30 m.[12] Where it has not been overfished, this snail is locally common. (Abbott & Dance, 1982)
This carnivorous species is specialized for feeding on polychaete worms in the genera Polyodontes (Acoetidae), Loimia (Terebellidae) and Diopatra (Onuphidae).[7] It may seem unlikely for such a large gastropod to feed on worms, but worms in the family Acoetidae do include the largest polychaetes, with a length of over 1 meter. These worms live in tubes; Syrinx aruanus can reach them with its proboscis, which has a length of up to 250 mm.[7]
Human uses
This species is fished both for its very large shell and for its edible flesh, which is sometimes used as bait.[12] The shell is sold for shell collections and is used as a source of lime.[12] Another use of its shell is as a water carrier.[11]
Drawing of creating a nose-pin from the shell of Syrinx aruanus.
The Aboriginal Australian peoples who live on the Pennefather River in Queensland, use (or used) a half-moon shaped nose-pin known as an imina which is made from the shell of Syrinx aruanus. This nose pin is employed by men only; the women use a piece of grass instead. In order to make one of these nose pins, if the Syrinx shell is fresh, then it can be worked on right away, but if it is dried out, the shell is first soaked for two or three days in water. After this, a portion of the shell which is near the suture and the keel on the body whorl is chipped out using a stone, (see image), and then is ground down with water. The resulting rib-shaped object is used as the nose-pin.[13]
This article incorporates public domain text from reference.[13]
^Röding P. F. (1798). Museum Boltenianus sive Catalogus cimeliorum e tribus regnis naturae olim collegerat. Pars secunda continens Conchylia sive Testacea univalvia, bivalvia & multivalvia. Trappi, Hamburg, viii. + 199 pp.
^Linnaeus C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. L. Salvii, Holmiae (Stockholm). 824 pp., page 275.
^Born I. von (1780). Testacea musei Caesarei Vindobonensis quae jussu Mariae Theresia. J. P. Kraus, Vienna. 442 pp., page 9.
^Lamarck J.B.P. de M. (1822). Histoire naturelle des Animaux sans Vertèbres. Verdiere, Paris. 711 pp., page 126.
^ abcdeWells F. E., Walker D. I. & Jones D. S. (eds.) (2003). "Food of giants – field observations on the diet of Syrinx aruanus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Turbinellidae) the largest living gastropod" 2011-07-21 at the Wayback Machine. The Marine Flora and Fauna of Dampier, Western Australia. Western Australian Museum, Perth.
^Buonanni's Chiocciole (1681) 2010-03-22 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed 8 August 2009.
^(in Italian)Bonanni F. (1681). Ricreatione dell' occhio e dela mente nell oservation' delle Chiociolle, proposta a' curiosi delle opere della natura, &c. 1681. Varese, Rome, xiv, 384 pp., 109 plates. figure 101.
^Harasewych M.G. & Petit R.E. (1989). "The nomenclatural status and phylogenetic affinities of Syrinx aruanus Linne, 1758 (Prosobranchia: Turbinellidae)". The Nautilus103(2): 83–84.
^ abcdefgCarpenter K. E. & Niem V. H. (eds.) (1998). . Rome, FAO, ISSN 1020-4547, 686 pp., pages 603-617, page 605.
^ abRoth W. E. (1910). "North Queensland ethnography". Records of the Australian Museum, Sydney, 8(1): page 1-106. page 30.
Further reading
Kesteven H. L. (1904). "The anatomy of Megalatractus". Memoirs of the Australian Museum4: 419–449.
McClain C. R., Balk M. A., Benfield M. C., Branch T. A., Chen C., Cosgrove J., Dove A. D. M., Gaskins L. C., Helm R. R., Hochberg F. G., Lee F. B., Marshall A., McMurray S. E., Schanche C., Stone S. N. & Thaler A. D. (2015). "Sizing ocean giants: patterns of intraspecific size variation in marine megafauna". PeerJ3: e715 doi:10.7717/peerj.715.
syrinx, aruanus, common, name, australian, trumpet, false, trumpet, species, extremely, large, snail, measuring, long, weighing, marine, gastropod, mollusk, family, turbinellidae, only, species, genus, syrinx, shell, scientific, classificationkingdom, animalia. Syrinx aruanus common name the Australian trumpet or false trumpet is a species of extremely large sea snail measuring up to 91 cm long and weighing up to 18 kg It is a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Turbinellidae and is the only species in the genus Syrinx Syrinx aruanusshell of Syrinx aruanusScientific classificationKingdom AnimaliaPhylum MolluscaClass Gastropoda unranked clade Caenogastropodaclade Hypsogastropoda clade NeogastropodaSuperfamily MuricoideaFamily TurbinellidaeSubfamily TurbinellinaeGenus SyrinxRoding 1798 1 Species S aruanusBinomial nameSyrinx aruanus Linnaeus 1758 2 Synonyms 6 A synonym for the genus Syrinx MegalatractusMurex aruanus Linnaeus 1758Megalatractus aruanus Linnaeus 1758 Murex gigas Born 1780 3 Fusus proboscidiferus Lamarck 1822 4 Cerithium brazieri Tryon 1887 5 This is the largest extant snail shelled gastropod species in the world and arguably the largest heaviest gastropod in the world Although the shell itself is quite well known to shell collectors because of its extraordinary size little is known about the ecology and behavior of the species 7 except for one study about its feeding habits Contents 1 Taxonomy 2 Description 3 Distribution 4 Ecology 5 Human uses 6 See also 7 References 8 Further reading 9 External linksTaxonomy Edit 1681 engraving of a shell of Syrinx aruanus by Filippo Bonanni Here the coiling of the shell appears to be reversed this is due to the engraving process In 1681 Filippo Bonanni depicted this species in one of the first books ever published that was solely about seashells 8 The book was entitled Ricreatione dell occhio e dela mente nell oservation delle Chiociolle proposta a curiosi delle opere della natura amp c 9 The taxonomic affinities of Syrinx aruanus were not properly understood for a long time Until fairly recently it was placed in the family Melongenidae A detailed taxonomic overview of this species was provided by Harasewych amp Petit 1989 10 Description Edit Dorsal view of a shell This is the largest recent as opposed to fossil shelled gastropod and the largest shelled gastropod by weight However the largest shell less gastropod or slug is Aplysia vaccaria a giant sea hare known as the California black sea hare The largest A vaccaria has been measured at 99 cm in length and weighing in at almost 14 kg An extremely large species of fossil gastropod is Campanile giganteum The overall height also known as length of the shell of S aruanus is up to 91 cm 7 see also Hawaiian Shell News 1982 The weight of the shell is about 1800 g Drawing of the protoconch from Tryon 1887 The shell is usually pale apricot in color however in life it is covered by thick brown or grey periostracum 11 The shell color can fade to a creamy yellow 12 The whole shell has a spindle like shape The spire of the shell is high The whorls usually have a strong keel 11 which can have nodules on it 12 The shell has a long siphonal canal There are no folds on the columella unlike some other genera within the same family Juvenile shells show a long tower shaped protoconch or embryonic shell of 5 whorls which is usually lost in the adult 12 This protoconch is about 2 5 cm long and looks so unlike the adult shell that it was described by George Washington Tryon in 1887 as a different species The weight of the animal including the shell can be up to 18 kg 40 lb The radula of this species was described in detail by Wells et al 2003 7 Distribution Edit In Endo Shell Museum This species occurs in the northern half of Australia and adjacent areas including eastern Indonesia and Papua New Guinea 12 Ecology EditThese giant snails live on sandy bottoms in the intertidal zone and the sublittoral down to about 30 m 12 Where it has not been overfished this snail is locally common Abbott amp Dance 1982 This carnivorous species is specialized for feeding on polychaete worms in the genera Polyodontes Acoetidae Loimia Terebellidae and Diopatra Onuphidae 7 It may seem unlikely for such a large gastropod to feed on worms but worms in the family Acoetidae do include the largest polychaetes with a length of over 1 meter These worms live in tubes Syrinx aruanus can reach them with its proboscis which has a length of up to 250 mm 7 Human uses EditThis species is fished both for its very large shell and for its edible flesh which is sometimes used as bait 12 The shell is sold for shell collections and is used as a source of lime 12 Another use of its shell is as a water carrier 11 Drawing of creating a nose pin from the shell of Syrinx aruanus The Aboriginal Australian peoples who live on the Pennefather River in Queensland use or used a half moon shaped nose pin known as an imina which is made from the shell of Syrinx aruanus This nose pin is employed by men only the women use a piece of grass instead In order to make one of these nose pins if the Syrinx shell is fresh then it can be worked on right away but if it is dried out the shell is first soaked for two or three days in water After this a portion of the shell which is near the suture and the keel on the body whorl is chipped out using a stone see image and then is ground down with water The resulting rib shaped object is used as the nose pin 13 See also EditTriplofusus papillosus the largest living sea snail species in the AmericasReferences EditThis article incorporates public domain text from reference 13 Roding P F 1798 Museum Boltenianus sive Catalogus cimeliorum e tribus regnis naturae olim collegerat Pars secunda continens Conchylia sive Testacea univalvia bivalvia amp multivalvia Trappi Hamburg viii 199 pp Linnaeus C 1758 Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae secundum classes ordines genera species cum characteribus differentiis synonymis locis L Salvii Holmiae Stockholm 824 pp page 275 Born I von 1780 Testacea musei Caesarei Vindobonensis quae jussu Mariae Theresia J P Kraus Vienna 442 pp page 9 Lamarck J B P de M 1822 Histoire naturelle des Animaux sans Vertebres Verdiere Paris 711 pp page 126 Tryon G W 1887 Manual of Conchology structural and systematic with illustrations of the species Volume 9 Solariidae by William B Marshall Ianthinidae Trichotropidae Scalariidae Cerithiidae Rissoidae Littorinidae 488 pp 71 plates Page 142 plate 26 figure 16 Syrinx aruanus Linnaeus 1758 OBIS Indo Pacific Molluscan Database accessed 6 August 2009 a b c d e Wells F E Walker D I amp Jones D S eds 2003 Food of giants field observations on the diet of Syrinx aruanus Linnaeus 1758 Turbinellidae the largest living gastropod Archived 2011 07 21 at the Wayback Machine The Marine Flora and Fauna of Dampier Western Australia Western Australian Museum Perth Buonanni s Chiocciole 1681 Archived 2010 03 22 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 8 August 2009 in Italian Bonanni F 1681 Ricreatione dell occhio e dela mente nell oservation delle Chiociolle proposta a curiosi delle opere della natura amp c 1681 Varese Rome xiv 384 pp 109 plates figure 101 Harasewych M G amp Petit R E 1989 The nomenclatural status and phylogenetic affinities of Syrinx aruanus Linne 1758 Prosobranchia Turbinellidae The Nautilus 103 2 83 84 a b c Dance S P 1992 Shells Dorling Kindersley London New York Stuttgart 256 pp ISBN 0 86318 811 7 page 141 a b c d e f g Carpenter K E amp Niem V H eds 1998 FAO species identification guide for fishery purposes The living marine resources of the Western Central Pacific Volume 1 Seaweeds corals bivalves and gastropods Rome FAO ISSN 1020 4547 686 pp pages 603 617 page 605 a b Roth W E 1910 North Queensland ethnography Records of the Australian Museum Sydney 8 1 page 1 106 page 30 Further reading EditKesteven H L 1904 The anatomy of Megalatractus Memoirs of the Australian Museum 4 419 449 McClain C R Balk M A Benfield M C Branch T A Chen C Cosgrove J Dove A D M Gaskins L C Helm R R Hochberg F G Lee F B Marshall A McMurray S E Schanche C Stone S N amp Thaler A D 2015 Sizing ocean giants patterns of intraspecific size variation in marine megafauna PeerJ 3 e715 doi 10 7717 peerj 715 1982 Large Syrinx aruanus of shell length 36 inches 91 4cm illustrated Hawaiian Shell News 30 7 12 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Syrinx aruanus Two images of shells with periostracum at 1 More good quality images of shells here 2 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Syrinx aruanus amp oldid 1065043447, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
