Koch’s Cerith, Kanimori-Gai – Rhinoclavis kochi

, Koch's Cerith, Kanimori-Gai - Rhinoclavis kochi, Rhinoclavis kochi
Depth: 0 - 62 m

Afghanistan, Alaska, Algeria, Andaman and Nicobar, Angola, Antarctica, Antigua and Barbuda, Arctic, Argentina, Ascension Island, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Azores Islands, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Canary Islands, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chile, China, Cocos Islands, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Corsica Island, Crete Island, Croatia, Curaçao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Egypt, El Salvador, England, Equatorial Guinea, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Gabon, Galapagos Islands, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Hawaii, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Macedonia, Madagascar, Madeira Islands, Malawi, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norfolk Island, North Korea, Northern Ireland, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Reunion Island, Romania, Russia, Saint Martin, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sardinia Island, Scotland, Senegal, Serbia, Sicily Island, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Georgia And The South Sandwich Islands, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turks and Caicos Islands, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States Minor Outlying Islands, Uruguay, US Minor Islands, USA, Uzbekistan, Vatican City, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, Wales, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Amvrakikos Gulf, Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Aral Sea, Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Baltic Sea, Barents Sea, Bay of Bengal, Bay of Biscay, Beaufort Sea, Bering Sea, Black Sea, Bohai Sea, Cantabrian Sea, Celtic Sea, Chukchi Sea, Coral Sea, Dead Sea, English Channel, German Bight, Great Barrier Reef, Greenland Sea, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Fonseca, Gulf of Maine, Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of Saint Lawrence, Halmahera Sea, Iberian Sea, Indian Ocean, Java Sea, Korinthiakos Gulf, Labrador Sea, Levantine Sea, Lingayan Gulf, Mediterranean Sea, Moro Gulf, Okhotsk Sea, Pacific Ocean, Pagassitikos Gulf, Salish Sea, Saronikos Gulf, Scotia Sea, Sea of Azov, Sea of Marmara, Siberian Sea, South China Sea, Southern Ocean, Thermaikos Gulf, Yellow Sea

The Koch’s Cerith, Kanimori-Gai, scientifically known as Rhinoclavis kochi, is a distinctive marine gastropod mollusk belonging to the Cerithiidae family. It is a fascinating and prevalent inhabitant of various marine ecosystems, showcasing a unique combination of physical characteristics, habitat preferences, and feeding habits.

Description & Characteristics

Rhinoclavis kochi exhibits a distinctive, elongated shell that is typically brown to reddish-brown in color. The shell is characterized by numerous whorls, each adorned with prominent, longitudinal ribs. The aperture, or opening, of the shell is oval-shaped and has a distinct lip. The maximum size of Rhinoclavis kochi has been reported to reach up to 60 millimeters in length.

Habitat and Occurrence

The Koch’s Cerith, Kanimori-Gai, is known to inhabit a variety of marine zones, including intertidal and subtidal regions. Its distribution is primarily focused on the Indo-Pacific region, with a notable presence in countries like Japan, Korea, and the Philippines. Rhinoclavis kochi often thrives in rocky shores, coral reefs, and sandy bottoms.

Taxonomy

Rhinoclavis kochi belongs to the Class Gastropoda, which encompasses a diverse group of mollusks with a single, spiraled shell. It is classified within the Order Caenogastropoda incertae sedis, a group of gastropod species that are not yet fully categorized within established suborders. Within the Class Gastropoda, Rhinoclavis kochi is a member of the Family Cerithiidae, which comprises a significant number of marine gastropod species with distinctive, elongated shells.

Feeding

Rhinoclavis kochi is known to be a detritus feeder, consuming decaying organic matter and algal debris. They are also classified as herbivorous, grazing on algae that grows on rocks and other surfaces in their habitat. Their feeding habits play a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance within their marine environments by decomposing organic matter and recycling nutrients.

Associated Species

Image References

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