Babylonia zeylanica
Scientific Name:-
Babylonia zeylanicaCommon Name:-
Indian Babylon
Malayalam Name:-
Category:-
Mollusca
Status:-
Not evaluated
Description:-
Shell large upto 70mm in height, fusiform, less solid and with less inflated whorls, body whorl narrower than in Babylonia spirata, sutures not canaliculated, spire high ending in dark purple apex. Aperture dark, outer lip sharp and smooth, but not flexed at top, columella smooth with heavy broad callus posteriorly but narrow anteriorly, a strong parietal ridge almost close to the outer lip, umbilicus broadly open with a row of teeth on the outer margin, fasciole with aridge on the inner edge, anterior canal broad and deep, posterior canal not distinctsurface smooth, colour white with large brown blotches.
Remark:-
The species is caught as a bycatch in shrimp trawlers at shakthikulangara and neendakara area. The meat and operculum of the species is commercially important. The species has been reported from coast of Kerala by Kurian (1953); Babu Philip and Appukuttan (1995); Rao (2003); Bijukumar (2012); and Franklin and Laladhas (2014).
Synonyms:-
Buccinum giratum Röding, 1798
References:-
Babu Philip,M and Appukuttan, K.K,1995. A Check list of Gastropods landed at Sakthikulangara - Neendakara Area. Mar. Fish. Infor. Serv. T&E. Ser., 38: 9-10
Biju Kumar, A. 2012. ‘Kerala Theerathe Kadal Jeevikal’ (Marine Animals of Kerala coast- A Field Guide). Kerala State Biodiversity Board, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, 304 pp. (In Malayalam)
Franklin, J.B. and Laladhas, K.P. 2014. Marine Gastropods of Kerala. Kerala State Biodiversity Board, Thiruvananthapuram, India, 186pp.
Kurian, CV (1953). A preliminary survey of the bottom fauna and bottom deposits of the Travancore coast within the 15-fathom line Proceedings of the National Institute of Sciences of India, 19: 746–775.
Subba Rao, NV (2003). Indian seashells. Zoological Survey of India ZSI, Kolkata (Part 1) 416 pp.