Shell · Genus
Architectonica
Sundial shells
Sundial shells (Architectonica) are low, flat, beaded spirals with a wide open umbilicus on the underside, showing the whole coil like a staircase; Architectonica perspectiva is the common species. They are inexpensive and one of the most instructive shells for showing spiral growth. Fossil sundials occur from the Cretaceous.
| Habitat | Sand, shallow tropical water, feeding on sea anemones |
|---|---|
| Regions | Indo-Pacific, Caribbean, Eastern Pacific |
| Family | Architectonicidae |
| Authority (WoRMS) | Röding, 1798· WoRMS / MolluscaBase |
| Status (WoRMS) | accepted· WoRMS / MolluscaBase |
| Extinct (WoRMS) | no· WoRMS / MolluscaBase |
| Classification (WoRMS) | Animalia › Mollusca › Gastropoda › Architectonicidae· WoRMS / MolluscaBase |
CITES and protection
Not CITES-listed.
Care (Byne's disease)
Stable.
Elsewhere
- WoRMS AphiaID: 181091
- Wikidata: Q1940514
- WoRMS / MolluscaBase record
- Wikipedia: Architectonica
- CITES Appendices
Cite this article
Stratum Strata. "Architectonica" (Shell family). Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21. https://stratum.black/strata/shells/architectonica. Accessed 2026-09-21.
@misc{stratum-architectonica,
title = {Architectonica},
author = {{Stratum Strata}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/strata/shells/architectonica}},
year = {2026},
note = {Shell family article, Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21; sources: stratum, worms, wikidata, commons. Accessed 2026-09-21.}
} Citations carry the pack version and the article's as-of date so they resolve to the same text later. The facts themselves belong to the sources listed below; cite those for the science.