Pomaulax japonicus, the Japanese star shell, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Turbinidae, the turban snails.[1]

Pomaulax japonicus
Shell of Pomaulax japonicus (Dunker, 1844), measuring 47.7 mm in height by 74.8 mm diameter, collected with tangle nets at 20 m depth off Pt. Daio, Shima-cho, in Japan.
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Vetigastropoda
Order: Trochida
Superfamily: Trochoidea
Family: Turbinidae
Genus: Pomaulax
Species:
P. japonicus
Binomial name
Pomaulax japonicus
(Dunker, 1844)
Synonyms[1]
  • Astralium (Pomaulax) japonicum (Dunker, 1844)
  • Trochus japonicus Dunker, 1845

Description

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The size of the shell attains 90 mm. The large, imperforate shell has a depressed-conic shape. It is pale yellowish. The six whorls are planulate above, and obliquely tuberculate-plicate. The periphery is expanded, compressed, carinated, bearing wide nodose spines. The base of the shell is planulate, with concentric tuberculate lirae. The white umbilical tract is, callous and depressed. The aperture is transversely dilated, subrhomboidal, and angulate.[2]

Distribution

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This marine species occurs off Japan and Korea.

References

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  • Alf A. & Kreipl K. (2011) The family Turbinidae. Subfamilies Turbininae Rafinesque, 1815 and Prisogasterinae Hickman & McLean, 1990. In: G.T. Poppe & K. Groh (eds), A Conchological Iconography. Hackenheim: Conchbooks. pp. 1–82, pls 104–245.
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  • "Pomaulax japonicus". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 16 January 2019.