Phylum Mollusca

Class Gastropoda

 

Family Fasciolariidae

Spindles

Spindles have red body parts and feed upon snails using corrosive saliva.

 

Peristernia chlorostoma   

GREENMOUTH SPINDLE

Abundant under rocks.  Aperture is yellow.  Less than 1 inch.  Endemic to Hawaii.

 

 

 

Latirus nodatus

Makapu'u, Oahu, 25 feet

KNOBBY SPINDLE

Common at scuba depths on hard substrate.  Heavily encrusted with coralline algae.  About 4 inches.  Hawaii & the tropical Pacific.

 

 

 

 

Latirus noumeensis

NOUMEA SPINDLE

Uncommon under stones & in dead coral at scuba depths.  Usually encrusted with coralline algae.  About 1 inch.  Hawaii, Mauritius, New Caledonia, and Japan.  

 

 

 

Fusinus sandvicensis   

HAWAIIAN SPINDLE

Rare in sand in deep water.  About 5 inches.  Endemic to Hawaii.

 

 

 

 

Fusinus undatus   

MAUI SPINDLE

Rare in sand in deep water.  Feeds upon urchins and mollusks.  Attains at least 8 inches.  Endemic to Hawaii.

 

 

 

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