Volva volva | |
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Volva volva near Ponta do Ouro, Mozambique | |
Five views of a shell of Volva volva | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Gastropoda |
Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
Order: | Littorinimorpha |
Family: | Ovulidae |
Genus: | Volva |
Species: | V. volva
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Binomial name | |
Volva volva | |
Synonyms[1] | |
Volva volva is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Ovulidae (false cowries).[1] In Australia the shells are commonly referred to as a shuttle or spindle egg cowry.[2]
The shell of Volva volva ranges between 45 and 186 mm (1.8 and 7.3 in) in length. The canals are long and narrow, while the body whorl is about one-third or less of the shell length.[3]
Volva volva is found in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.[4]