The Babylonian Auger – Terebra babylonia is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Terebridae, the auger snails. The species is known for its elongated, tapered shell and is a common sight in the coastal waters of the Indo-Pacific region.
Description & Characteristics
The Babylonian Auger – Terebra babylonia has a distinctive shell with a long, narrow, and pointed spire. The shell is usually white or cream-colored and is covered in fine, spiral ridges. The shell can reach a maximum size of 10 centimeters in length. The apex of the shell is usually brown or reddish-brown. The aperture of the shell is narrow and elongated, with a sharp outer lip.
Habitat and Occurrence
The Babylonian Auger – Terebra babylonia is a common sight in the Indo-Pacific region. Its distribution extends from the Red Sea and East Africa to the Pacific Ocean, including the Philippines, Indonesia, and Australia. This species is typically found in shallow waters, often on sandy bottoms or seagrass beds. It prefers areas with a high level of salinity and may also be found in intertidal zones. The Babylonian Auger – Terebra babylonia is a common sight in both the neritic and oceanic marine zones.
Taxonomy
The species Terebra babylonia belongs to the Class: Gastropoda, Order: Neogastropoda, and Family: Terebridae. The Gastropoda is a large and diverse class of mollusks that includes snails, slugs, and nudibranchs. The Neogastropoda is an order within the Gastropoda that comprises a group of predatory sea snails. The family Terebridae is a group of predatory marine snails that are characterized by their long, tapered shells.
Feeding
The Babylonian Auger – Terebra babylonia is a carnivore and a predatory species. It feeds primarily on worms, which it captures using its sharp, pointed radula. The radula is a ribbon-like structure in the mouth of snails that is used to scrape food. The Babylonian Auger – Terebra babylonia uses its radula to drill into the sand and capture its prey.
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