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orange-mouthed olive
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orange-mouthed olive

snail
Also known as: Oliva sericea
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Quick Summary

The "orange-mouthed olive" is a type of marine snail belonging to the family Olividae, also known as olive shells. These snails are part of the subclass Prosobranchia within the class Gastropoda.1

Olive shells are characterized by their distinctive, oval-shaped shells with a pointed apex and a rapidly expanding main body whorl. They have a long, narrow opening (aperture) and often display an agate-like sheen with fine markings.1

These snails are known for burrowing in sandy seabeds. A notable species is the orange-mouthed olive (O. sericea), which is abundant in the Indo-Pacific region and can reach about 8 centimeters (3 inches) in length. The genus Oliva has a fossil record dating back to the Eocene Epoch, over 36 million years ago.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
2 Britannica Sources
  1. land snail
  2. olive shell

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