Turritellinella tricarinata (Brocchi, 1814)
Lofoten to Morocco, Mediterranean, NW. Black Sea.
Supension and deposit feeder in the infralittoral down to circa 200m deep, mostly half-burrowed in gravelly-muddy bottoms.
Synonym: communis Risso.
80m deep, Límnos island, N. Aegean Sea. 33mm.
25m deep, off Forli-Cesena, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. 40-42mm.
Three major cords per whorl, up to six on the last one.
Turritella communis in H. & A. Adams: The genera of recent Mollusca vol. III, London 1858,plate XXXVIII.
 
« …the whole surface is covered with fine and close-set indistinct flexuous striae in the line of growth. Colour yellowish-brown of various shades, with occasionally darker longitudinal streaks. Spire sharply pointed, although the tip is usually broken off. Whorls 16-20, convex but compressed, shelving above and below the suture; they increase very gradually. Suture distinct, becoming deeper towards the base of the spire. Mouth squarish, angulated above and slightly expanding below; outer lip incurved, on the upper side; inner lip reflected over the pillar, and in adult specimens united with the outer lip. » – J. G. Jeffreys: British conchology vol. IV, London 1867, p.81.
Half-buried in sediment, Shag Hole Bay, eastern coast of Skomer island, Marloes and Saint Brides, Pembrokeshire, SW. Wales. Original picture provided by B. Picton for iNaturalist – (CC BY).
Other synonyms: brittanica, mediterranea, linnaei…
The species is gregarious.
Beachstormed, on sand banks, Grau de la Vieille Nouvelle, Gruissan, Occitania, S. France. 36,5-37,5mm.
Microsculpture on a specimen from Leucate, Occitania.
Original pictures provided by S. Clanzig (FR).
– (CC BY-NC-SA) –
Same spot. 39mm.
40m deep, on sand, San Carles de la Ràpita, Tarragona, Catalunya, NE. Spain. 51,9mm.
Rare fragment showing a complete protoconch. 2,6mm.
≈ 6m deep inside the sediment, bottom at 13m, mouth of Krka river, Prokljan marine lake, Šibenik-Knin Comitat, W. Croatia.
A specimen from Atlantic: washed ashore, Bois Bas, Baden, Gulf of Morbihan, S. Britanny, NW. France. 39mm.
Specimen from English Channel:
In nets, Dieppe, Normandy, N. France. 40,5mm.

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