CLASSIFICATION OF FISSURELLA
PHYLUM :- MOLLUSCA (Unsegmented bilaterally symmetrical and provided with visceral mass, foot and mantle. )
CLASS :- GASTROPODA (Visceral hump twisted.)
SUB-CLASS :- PROSOBRANCHIATA (Gills in front of heart.)
ORDER :- ASPIDOHRANCHIATA (Gills bipectinate.)
SUB-ORDER :- RHIPIDOGLOSSA (Ctenidia and auricles paired.)
GENUS :- Fissurella
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION
- Found in U.S.A.
HABIT AND HABITAT
Fissurella is a marine gastropod found attached with rocks.
GENERAL CHARACTERSTICS OF FISSURELLA
- Commonly called as Key-hole limpet.
- Shell is oval, compressed, non-spiral and having a small apical shell aperture which looks little volcanic crater.
- Shell protects the animal from the impacts of the waves.
- Ventral foot is large, sole-like and is used as sucker for clinging to rocks.
- Foot bears on either side an epipodial ridge bearing a row of cirri or epipodial tentacles.
- Operculum is absent.
- Head contains mouth or apical shell aperture and pair of sensory tentacles.
IDENTIFICATION
The animal contains epipodial tentacles and all above features it is Fissurella.
