babylonspirata

Babylonia spirata, common name the Spiral Babylon, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod
mollusk, in the family Babyloniidae.[1] It is the type species of the genus Babylonia.[2]
Babylonia spirata is similar in appearance to B. zeylanica, but the whorl of B. spirata has a raised
shoulder resulting in a sort of channel around the spire.
References
1.
 MolluscaBase (2018). Babylonia spirata (Linnaeus, 1758). Accessed through: World Register of
Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=456742 on 2019-01-12
 MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Babylonia Schlüter, 1838. Accessed through: World
Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=456368 on
2021-09-20
The Babylon Snail is a large scavenger that will stir sand beds down to 2 inches in depth. They have the
potential to consume other small snails and sessile invertebrates but are generally considered reef
safe. Most people report no issues. Often sold in the hobby as a species of Nassarius, the Babylon
Snail is a Babylonia snail, (Babylonia spirata), rather than a species of Nassarius. Their behavior is
similar though, but they are larger than members of the Nassarius species. This snail is imported from
the Indo Pacific where it dwells in sandy bottoms. It is best suited for tanks with messy eaters, or large
fish that will leave enough leftovers for this snail. They consume about as much food as 12 Nassarius
vibex.
peacock worm, (Sabella), any of a genus of segmented marine worms of the class Polychaeta (phylum
Annelida). This type of fanworm lives in a tube about 30 to 40 centimetres (12 to 16 inches) long that is
open at one end and constructed of mud particles cemented together by mucus. All but the top few
centimetres of the tube is buried in the substratum. The front end of the worm has a fan of striped
feathery tentacles, used for feeding and respiration, that protrudes from the tube into the overlying
seawater. Inorganic and organic particles suspended in the water are trapped in mucus secreted by the
tentacles. They are then transported down the tentacles by beating cilia and used either for tube
building or passed into the mouth as food. Peacock worms rapidly withdraw their tentacles into the
safety of the tube when predators approach. These worms are found both in the intertidal zone and in
shallow subtidal areas.
macroinvertebrate, any animal lacking a backbone and large enough to see without the aid of a
microscope. Macroinvertebrates are exothermic (or cold-blooded) and may be aquatic or
terrestrial, the aquatic organisms often being larval or nymphal forms of otherwise terrestrial
species. They can differ greatly in physical appearance, with some, such as crayfish, having an
exoskeleton and others, such as snails, possessing a shell. Still others, such as leeches, have soft
flesh with no support or protective structure. Today a wide variety of macroinvertebrates are
known, and many are readily identified in nature. They include annelids (segmented worms),
mollusks, arthropods, arachnids, crustaceans, odonates (mayflies, dragonflies, and damselflies),
stoneflies, true bugs, beetles, caddisflies, and true flies.
One of the first biologists to study macroinvertebrates was Dutch naturalist Jan Swammerdam,
who in 1675 described anatomical and biological features of the mayfly Palingenia longicauda.
About a century later, macroinvertebrate species were named and classified en masse by Danish
entomologist Johann Christian Fabricius.
Role in freshwater ecosystems

Macroinvertebrates are a part of virtually every freshwater ecosystem in the world, even those
that are seemingly inhospitable to life. There they form the base of the aquatic food chain,
serving as a significant source of food for other animals, including amphibians, birds, reptiles,
and fish. Macroinvertebrates also break down both living and decaying plant material in
freshwater ecosystems, providing a critical link in the transformation of plant material into forms
of energy that can be consumed by other animals in aquatic ecosystems.
Environmental biomonitoring
Because macroinvertebrates are nonmigratory, spending their entire lives in a small area, they
often show the effects of habitat alteration. As a result, they are good indicators of environmental
health, particularly that of streams and other waterways. They also can be sampled and identified
with simple equipment, making them especially convenient for environmental biomonitoring. In
general, waterway health can be calculated based on the type and number of macroinvertebrate
families present. Certain families of macroinvertebrates are more pollution-sensitive than others;
finding many such species typically indicates good water quality. For example, larvae of spiny
crawler mayflies (family Ephemerellidae) have a tolerance value of 1 and can dwell only in the
most pristine environments. Leeches, by comparison, are equipped with a high tolerance value of
10 and therefore are more tolerant of pollution.
It is common practice to survey macroinvertebrates before infrastructure projects, especially

those that involve dredging and the construction of power plants or sewage treatment plants.

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Babylonia spirata, common name the Spiral Babylon, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod

Role in freshwater ecosystems

It is common practice to survey macroinvertebrates before infrastructure projects, especially

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