Atlanta turriculata form B Van der Spoel, 1972c
Overview
This is a small sized, dextrally shelled, pelagic snail, 0.3 cm in diameter with large eyes and a single swimming fin. There are 5.5 whorls. The buff or rosy shell is strongly flattened and keeled. The spire is very high and straight. The spire of the operculum is relatively small with two very faint spiral lines of dots. It is a carnivore predating on relatively large zooplankton. This species occurs in the warm waters of the Indo-Pacific Ocean.
Taxonomic Description
This form is very similar to the forma turriculata. The whorls in the spire increase more rapidly in width so that the spire, in relation to the body whorl is larger than in the type form. The spire is also more regular in profile view as the sculpture is less pronounced (Atlanta turriculata B). The spines on the operculum are as generally less developed than in the other form.
Shell diameter up to 2.5 mm.
Juveniles
The juveniles have a small, dextrally coiled shell. A special description is not available.
Reproduction
In this form the sexes are separate.
Ecology
This form is a carnivore and epipelagic.
Distribution
It is endemic to the Indo-Pacific Ocean where it occurs between about 40°N and 40°S. No records are known for the central Pacific Ocean, but this is not proof of its absence there. For the form B of this group no map is given as the records are too scarce.
Types
Atlanta turriculata from B Van der Spoel, 1972: 550, 556.
Holotype: ZMAN (alcohol collection) Paratypes: ZMAN 4 spec. (alcohol collection).
Type locality: Ternate anchorage (Indo-Malayan Arch.). Coll.: Siboga stat. 136. |
