WoRMS taxon details
Bulla ampulla Linnaeus, 1758
181195 (urn:lsid:marinespecies.org:taxname:181195)
accepted
Species
Bulla ampulla var. mozambicensis Bergh, 1900 · unaccepted
Bulla columellaris Menke, 1854 · unaccepted
Bulla columellaris var. bifasciata Menke, 1854 · unaccepted
Bulla columellaris var. vermiculata Menke, 1854 · unaccepted
Bulla delorti Mabille, 1896 · unaccepted
Bulla trifasciata G. B. Sowerby II, 1868 · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Bulla villosa Martyn, 1784 · unaccepted (Unavailable name (ICZN Opinion 456))
Bullaria ampulla (Linnaeus, 1758) · unaccepted
Quibulla selina Iredale, 1929 · unaccepted
- Subspecies Bulla ampulla striata Röding, 1798 (uncertain > nomen dubium)
- Variety Bulla ampulla var. mozambicensis Bergh, 1900 accepted as Bulla ampulla Linnaeus, 1758
marine
Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm]. [iii] + 824 pp. , available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886
page(s): 727 [details] Available for editors
[request]
page(s): 727 [details] Available for editors
[request]
Description Shell up to 6 cm long. The rounded shell is slightly glossy and patterned with brown. The animal is flesy, mottled brown...
Description Shell up to 6 cm long. The rounded shell is slightly glossy and patterned with brown. The animal is flesy, mottled brown and orange with white flecks. Habitat: extremely common in eulittoral areas covered by dense algal mats, where the animal emerges from the surrounding sand in the evening. Distribution: Indo-Pacific (Richmond, 1997). [details]
MolluscaBase eds. (2026). MolluscaBase. Bulla ampulla Linnaeus, 1758. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=181195 on 2026-08-03
Date
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Nomenclature
original description
Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm]. [iii] + 824 pp. , available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886
page(s): 727 [details] Available for editors [request]
original description (of Bulla trifasciata G. B. Sowerby II, 1868) Sowerby, G. B. II. (1868). Monograph of the genus <i>Bulla</i>. In: <i>Conchologia iconica, or illustrations of the shells of molluscous animals</i>, vol. 16: pls. 1-6 and unpaginated text. L. A. Reeve, London. [stated dates: pls. 2-4, Jan. 1868; 1, 5, 6, Mar. 1868]. , available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/9133414
page(s): pl. 1, species 1 [details]
original description (of Bulla delorti Mabille, 1896) Mabille, J. (1896). Observations sur le genre Bulla. Bulletin de la Société Philomatique de Paris, (8) 8: 111-119. Paris [details]
original description (of Bulla columellaris var. vermiculata Menke, 1854) Menke, K. T. (1854). Noch eine Bulla und einige andere Konchylien. <em>Malakozoologische Blätter.</em> 1: 26-30., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15864489
page(s): 26 [details]
original description (of Bulla columellaris var. bifasciata Menke, 1854) Menke, K. T. (1854). Noch eine Bulla und einige andere Konchylien. <em>Malakozoologische Blätter.</em> 1: 26-30., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15864489
page(s): 26 [details]
original description (of Bulla villosa Martyn, 1784) Martyn, T. (1784-1787). The universal conchologist, exhibiting the figure of every known shells. London, published by the author. 4 vols. 40 pp., 80 pls., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/41889680 [details]
original description (of Bulla columellaris Menke, 1854) Menke, K. T. (1854). Noch eine Bulla und einige andere Konchylien. <em>Malakozoologische Blätter.</em> 1: 26-30., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15864489
page(s): 26 [details]
page(s): 727 [details] Available for editors
[request]original description (of Bulla trifasciata G. B. Sowerby II, 1868) Sowerby, G. B. II. (1868). Monograph of the genus <i>Bulla</i>. In: <i>Conchologia iconica, or illustrations of the shells of molluscous animals</i>, vol. 16: pls. 1-6 and unpaginated text. L. A. Reeve, London. [stated dates: pls. 2-4, Jan. 1868; 1, 5, 6, Mar. 1868]. , available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/9133414
page(s): pl. 1, species 1 [details]
original description (of Bulla delorti Mabille, 1896) Mabille, J. (1896). Observations sur le genre Bulla. Bulletin de la Société Philomatique de Paris, (8) 8: 111-119. Paris [details]
original description (of Bulla columellaris var. vermiculata Menke, 1854) Menke, K. T. (1854). Noch eine Bulla und einige andere Konchylien. <em>Malakozoologische Blätter.</em> 1: 26-30., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15864489
page(s): 26 [details]
original description (of Bulla columellaris var. bifasciata Menke, 1854) Menke, K. T. (1854). Noch eine Bulla und einige andere Konchylien. <em>Malakozoologische Blätter.</em> 1: 26-30., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15864489
page(s): 26 [details]
original description (of Bulla villosa Martyn, 1784) Martyn, T. (1784-1787). The universal conchologist, exhibiting the figure of every known shells. London, published by the author. 4 vols. 40 pp., 80 pls., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/41889680 [details]
original description (of Bulla columellaris Menke, 1854) Menke, K. T. (1854). Noch eine Bulla und einige andere Konchylien. <em>Malakozoologische Blätter.</em> 1: 26-30., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15864489
page(s): 26 [details]
Taxonomy
redescription
Malaquias, M. A. E.; Reid, D. G. (2008). Systematic revision of the living species of Bullidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Cephalaspidea), with a molecular phylogenetic analysis. <em>Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.</em> 153(3): 453-543., available online at https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.2008.00369.x [details]
Identification resource
identification resource
Poppe G. (2010) <i>Philippine marine mollusks</i> volume 3. 665 pp., pls 708-1014. Hackenheim: Conchbooks. [details]
Other
context source (HKRMS)
Lam KKY. (2001). Algal and sessile invertebrate recruitment onto an experimental PFA-concrete artificial reef in Hong Kong. In: Morton B, editor. Asian Marine Biology 17. Hong Kong University Press, Hong Kong. pp 55-76., available online at https://doi.org/10.1515/9789882200203-010 [details]
additional source Zenetos, A., M.E. Cinar, M.A. Pancucci-Papadopoulou, J.G. Harmelin, G. Furnari, F. Andaloro, N. Bellou, N. Streftaris & H. Zibrowius. (2005). Annotated list of marine alien species in the Mediterranean with records of the worst invasive species. <em>Mediterranean Marine Science.</em> 6 (2): 63-118., available online at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/273213810_Annotated_list_of_marine_alien_species_in_the_Mediterranean_with_records_of_the_worst_invasive_species [details] Available for editors [request]
additional source Steyn, D.G. & Lussi, M. (1998) Marine Shells of South Africa. An Illustrated Collector's Guide to Beached Shells. Ekogilde Publishers, Hartebeespoort, South Africa, ii + 264 pp.
page(s): 176 [details]
additional source Gosliner, T. (1987). Nudibranchs of Southern Africa: A Guide to Opisthobranch Molluscs of Southern Africa. Sea Challengers, Monterey, California. , available online at https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004631496
page(s): 45. [details]
additional source Chaban E.M. (2016). Heterobranch mollusks of the orders Acteonoidea and Cephalaspidea (Gastropoda: Heterobranchia) of Vietnam: annotated check-list with illustrations of some species. In: A. V. Adrianov & K. A. Lutaenko (eds), <i>Biodiversity of the western part of the South China Sea</i>: 415-448. Vladivostok, Dalnauka. [details]
additional source Gosliner, T. et al. (2023). <i>Southern African Sea Slugs</i>. Southern Underwater Research Group Press, 7 Blackwood Drive, Hout Bay 7806, Cape Town, South Africa.
page(s): 664 [details]
additional source Zenetos, A., M.E. Cinar, M.A. Pancucci-Papadopoulou, J.G. Harmelin, G. Furnari, F. Andaloro, N. Bellou, N. Streftaris & H. Zibrowius. (2005). Annotated list of marine alien species in the Mediterranean with records of the worst invasive species. <em>Mediterranean Marine Science.</em> 6 (2): 63-118., available online at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/273213810_Annotated_list_of_marine_alien_species_in_the_Mediterranean_with_records_of_the_worst_invasive_species [details] Available for editors
[request]additional source Steyn, D.G. & Lussi, M. (1998) Marine Shells of South Africa. An Illustrated Collector's Guide to Beached Shells. Ekogilde Publishers, Hartebeespoort, South Africa, ii + 264 pp.
page(s): 176 [details]
additional source Gosliner, T. (1987). Nudibranchs of Southern Africa: A Guide to Opisthobranch Molluscs of Southern Africa. Sea Challengers, Monterey, California. , available online at https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004631496
page(s): 45. [details]
additional source Chaban E.M. (2016). Heterobranch mollusks of the orders Acteonoidea and Cephalaspidea (Gastropoda: Heterobranchia) of Vietnam: annotated check-list with illustrations of some species. In: A. V. Adrianov & K. A. Lutaenko (eds), <i>Biodiversity of the western part of the South China Sea</i>: 415-448. Vladivostok, Dalnauka. [details]
additional source Gosliner, T. et al. (2023). <i>Southern African Sea Slugs</i>. Southern Underwater Research Group Press, 7 Blackwood Drive, Hout Bay 7806, Cape Town, South Africa.
page(s): 664 [details]
Present Present in aphia/obis/gbif/idigbio Inaccurate Introduced: alien Containing type locality
From editor or global species database
Type designation ICZN opinion 196: Bulla ampulla specific name of type species of Bulla Linnaeus, 1758 [details]Unreviewed
Description Shell up to 6 cm long. The rounded shell is slightly glossy and patterned with brown. The animal is flesy, mottled brown and orange with white flecks. Habitat: extremely common in eulittoral areas covered by dense algal mats, where the animal emerges from the surrounding sand in the evening. Distribution: Indo-Pacific (Richmond, 1997). [details]
| Language | Name | |
|---|---|---|
| English | Mottled Bubble Snailflask bubble snailampulle bullaampulle bubble | [details] |
| German | AmpullenschneckeAmpullen-Blasenschnecke | [details] |
| Japanese | タイワンナツメガイ | [details] |
To Barcode of Life (15 barcodes)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (18 publications) (from synonym Bullaria ampulla (Linnaeus, 1758))
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (196 publications)
To Biological Information System for Marine Life (BISMaL)
To European Nucleotide Archive, ENA (Bulla ampulla)
To GenBank (50 nucleotides; 17 proteins)
To Malacopics (Bulla ampulla Linnaeus, 1758 Indonesia, ex coll. B. van der Most)
To Malacopics (Bulla ampulla Linnaeus, 1758 Indonesia, Maluku, Boano Island, Naiselan Beach, in hi...
To PESI
To Sea Slug Forum (via archive.org)
To USNM Invertebrate Zoology Mollusca Collection
To ITIS
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (18 publications) (from synonym Bullaria ampulla (Linnaeus, 1758))
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (196 publications)
To Biological Information System for Marine Life (BISMaL)
To European Nucleotide Archive, ENA (Bulla ampulla)
To GenBank (50 nucleotides; 17 proteins)
To Malacopics (Bulla ampulla Linnaeus, 1758 Indonesia, ex coll. B. van der Most)
To Malacopics (Bulla ampulla Linnaeus, 1758 Indonesia, Maluku, Boano Island, Naiselan Beach, in hi...
To PESI
To Sea Slug Forum (via archive.org)
To USNM Invertebrate Zoology Mollusca Collection
To ITIS
From editor or global species database
Unreviewed
.jpg "To Malacopics (Bulla ampulla Linnaeus, 1758 Indonesia, ex coll. B. van der Most)")
Hosted externally
.jpg "To Malacopics (Bulla ampulla Linnaeus, 1758 Indonesia, Maluku, Boano Island, Naiselan Beach, in hi...")
Hosted externally
