PLANAXIDAE

  Angiola punctostriata
(Smith E.A., 1872)

Relevant Synonyms
Planaxis punctostriatus Smith E.A., 1872

Misidentification
Planaxis lineolatus Gould, 1849 [Mienis, 1980]

 drawing: Tuvia Kurz    

SHORT DESCRIPTION
Shell small, with conical spire and ovate body whorl. Spiral sculpture of shallow, punctured spiral grooves. Aperture ovate, thickened inside the outer lip, with faint denticles; a shallow siphonal notch separated from the columella by a sharp tooth.

color : whitish with 6-9 interrupted reddish spiral lines on the body whorl.

common size : 6 mm.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
The spiral bands are narrower, and labial denticles are less conspicuous than in the related Tropical Atlantic species Angiola lineata (Da Costa, 1778). The relationships with related Indo-Pacific related taxa such as A. fasciata (Pease, 1868) are yet to be investigated.

BIOLOGY / ECOLOGY
Unknown.

habitat : under rocks along the shore.


1st Mediterranean record
Israel, 1980 [1950].


DISTRIBUTION
Worldwide: originally described from Gulf of Suez, this species may have a broad Indo-Pacific distribution, but its exact limits cannot be established due to taxonomic uncertainties. Mediterranean: only one record in 1950 near Dor, Israel (Mienis, 1980a).

ESTABLISHMENT SUCCESS
The claim for occurrence in the Mediterranean is only based on the original record, a specimen collected by Haas in 1950.

speculated reasons for success :
-


MODE OF INTRODUCTION
Possibly via the Suez Canal.


IMPORTANCE TO HUMANS
None.


KEY REFERENCES

  • Mienis H.K., 1980a. Planaxis lineolatus Gould. Another Indo-Pacific species from the Mediterranean coast of Israel. Levantina, 28: 324.
  • Mienis H.K., 1981a. Notes concerning the nomenclature of Red Sea molluscs. 5. Planaxis (Angiola) punctostriatus Smith, 1872. Levantina, 30: 361-362.

 

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Last update : December 2003

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