A medium-sized marine snail (mollusc). They are grey or off-white in colour, with 5 - 6 distinctive ridges spiralling up towards a sharp tip (apex).
25 - 50 mm
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Search area for 30 minutes and record the following:
Abundant: found easily with little searching
Frequent: found with minimal searching
Rare: only 1 or 2 individuals found with intensive searching
Not found: not present during search
Black Nerites, like all marine snails (molluscs), are under increasing stress due to ocean acidification which can weaken their calcium carbonate shells and reduce body condition. This makes them more prone to disease, predation and low reproduction. Increasing water temperature as a result of climate change will likely affect their abundance and cause a southward shift in their distribution.
Zebra Top Shell (Austrocochlea porcata) can also have faint ribs wrapping around the shell but can be distinguished by the black and white striped pattern on their shells that cross them vertically.
