Oryzatus Worm Shell, Thylacodes oryzatus

Oryzatus Worm Shell, Thylacodes oryzatus. Shell provided by the commercial fishermen of the greater Los Cabos area, Baja California Sur, May 2008. Size: 28 cm (11 inches).

The Oryzatus Worm, Thylacodes oryzatus (Morch, 1862), is a gastropod mollusk that is a member of the Vermetidae Family of Worms. The Shells are loosely spiraled only for the short section of their length that attaches to rock. The remainder of the shell is straight or gently curved. The shell increases in diameter as it gets farther from the attachment end. The exterior is covered with small bumps, nodules, and scales; the interior is smooth. The shells are whitish in color. Oryzatus Worm Shells are long and can reach a maximum length of 47 cm (19 inches).

Oryzatus Worm Shells are found attached to rocks and other hard surfaces, in protected waters in the intertidal zone to depths up to 35 m (115 feet). They have a limited range and are found from La Paz to the greater Cabo San Lucas in the Sea of Cortez and along the west coast of mainland Mexico, from Guaymas to Acapulco. They have not been documented from the west coast of the Baja.

Synonyms include Serpulorbis oryzata and Thylacodes oryzata.