About Austrocochlea constricta (Lamarck, 1822)
This species is the marine gastropod Austrocochlea constricta (Lamarck, 1822). The height of its shell ranges between 15 mm and 32 mm, while the shell diameter varies between 22 mm and 28 mm. The shell is thick, solid, and imperforate. Its base color is lusterless ashen or whitish, with obscure dark markings that may take the form of black zigzag lines and stripes, spiral articulated color zones, or black spiral stripes. Some individuals are nearly uniformly colored. The spire is conical with an acute apex. There are approximately five convex whorls: the first whorl is eroded, and the penultimate whorl has three very strong spiral costae. The body whorl has around seven strong carinae. The aperture is oblique. The outer and basal lips are either thick and bear multiple lirae on the inner surface, or rather thin, with slight furrows aligned with the positions of the main carinae. The short columella is oblique, has a subtle tooth-like projection at its base, and spreads into a strong callus over the parietal wall at its insertion. This marine species is endemic to Australia, and can be found off the coasts of New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia.
