- Source: Nassarius fraterculus
Nassarius fraterculus is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Nassariidae, the Nassa mud snails or dog whelks. The shell grows to a length of 10 mm. This marine species occurs off China, Korea and Japan, but has been introduced to the Pacific Northwest of North America through commercial oyster shipments.
Habitat
N. fraterculus inhabits intertidal regions, foraging on crushed mussels.
Relationship to other invasive species
In the Pacific Northwest, N. fraterculus has been shown to benefit from the presence of Batillaria attramentaria, another invasive species.
References
Cernohorsky W. O. (1984). Systematics of the family Nassariidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda). Bulletin of the Auckland Institute and Museum 14: 1–356.
Turgeon, D.; Quinn, J.F.; Bogan, A.E.; Coan, E.V.; Hochberg, F.G.; Lyons, W.G.; Mikkelsen, P.M.; Neves, R.J.; Roper, C.F.E.; Rosenberg, G.; Roth, B.; Scheltema, A.; Thompson, F.G.; Vecchione, M.; Williams, J.D. (1998). Common and scientific names of aquatic invertebrates from the United States and Canada: mollusks. 2nd ed. American Fisheries Society Special Publication, 26. American Fisheries Society: Bethesda, MD (USA). ISBN 1-888569-01-8. IX, 526 + cd-rom pp. page(s): 97
External links
"Nassarius (Hima) fraterculus". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center's National Estuarine and Marine Exotic Species Information System (NEMESIS): Nassarius fraterculus
