Species of gastropod
Turbinella laevigata, common name the Brazilian chank, is a species of very large sea snail with a gill and an operculum, a marine gastropod mollusk in the subfamily Turbinellinae of the family Turbinellidae.[2]
Subspecies
There are two subspecies of this species:
- Turbinella laevigata laevigata Anton, 1838
- Turbinella laevigata rianae Delsaerdt, 1986 (synonym : Turbinella rianae Delsaerdt, 1987)
Description
The shell of this species is thick and heavy, and can grow as large as 20 centimetres (8 in) in length.[3]
Distribution
This species is found in Brazil.
Life cycle
Turbinella laevigata produces egg capsules which enclose an average of 240 eggs. Approximately ten of these eggs bear young which remain in the capsule for a time after hatching. This is an indication that the remaining 230 eggs are a source of nutrition for these juveniles.[4]
Human use
Turbinella laevigata is used as a zootherapeutical product. It is used as a treatment for sexual impotence in traditional Brazilian medicine in the northeast of Brazil.[5]
References
- ^ (in German) Anton H. E. 1839. Verzeichniss der Conchylien. Halle, xvi + 110 pp. Turbinella laevigata is on the page 71.
- ^ Rosenberg, G. (2010). Turbinella laevigata Anton, 1838. In: Bouchet, P.; Gofas, S.; Rosenberg, G. (2010) World Marine Mollusca database. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=533539 on 2011-04-03
- ^ Turbinella laevigata Anton, 1838. Malacolog 4.1.1. A Database of Western Atlantic Marine Mollusca, accessed 20 September 2009.
- ^ Matthews-Cascon H., Rocha-Barreira C. de A., Meirelles C., Bigatti G. & Penchaszadeh P. (March–April) 2009. Description of the Ootheca of Turbinella laevigata (Mollusca, Gastropoda). Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology, 52(2): 359-364.
- ^ Alves R. R. N. 2009. Fauna used in popular medicine in Northeast Brazil. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 2009, 5:1. doi:10.1186/1746-4269-5-1
External links
