Olivella nana

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Sparkling dwarf olive (Olivella nana)

The sparkling dwarf olive is a small sea snail in the olive family. Its shell is about 10 to 20 mm long and dark, shiny horn in color, though some shells become white where the early shell layers join. The top of the shell (the apex) is small, flat, and very shiny—the flattest apex seen in this group. The first part of the shell has a strong ridge, and the lines between whorls are deeply channeled.

Taxonomy and classification: It was first described as Oliva nana from Angola. Some authors placed it in Olivancillaria, but the snail has an operculum, so it belongs in Olivella. Abbott & Dance (1986) placed it in Olivella. It is in the family Olividae, subfamily Olivellinae.

Distribution: This species occurs in the Atlantic Ocean from Cape Verde to West Africa and Angola, and in the Indian Ocean off Madagascar.

Uses: Shells from Luanda Island were once used as currency in parts of Africa, called nzimbu in the Kingdom of Kongo and nji in the Tio Kingdom, and were traded as far north as Benin.