Red Rapa Whelk [Rapana rapiformis]
Description
The Red Rapa Whelk is a large sea snail native to the seas off Northeast Asia. It has a thick, heavy shell with a short spire and large body whorl, typically colored reddish-brown, though darker individuals are not uncommon. This species prefers sandy or muddy substrates in cool to temperate seas, and is a predatory carnivore, preying primarily on bivalves.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Mollusks
Mollusca
|
|---|---|
| Class |
Gastropods
Gastropoda
|
| Order |
Neogastropoda
Neogastropoda
|
| Family |
Murex snails
Muricidae
|
| Genus |
Rapana
Rapana
|