Relevant Synonyms - Misidentification -  photo: J. J. van Aarsten

SHORT DESCRIPTION Shell fusiform, nearly three times as long as broad. Protoconch of four smooth whorls, often broken off. Teleoconch of six whorls with three spiral cords intersecting with axial folds to form a dense series of pearl-like knobs. Body whorl with two additional spirals. Aperture ovate, with a well-defined, very short but deeply incised siphonal canal. color : uniformly dark brown, the protoconch paler. common size : 2 x 0.7 mm. DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS This species is distinguished from most of the native Cerithiopsis species by its pupoid profile, and by having three rows of pearls from the very beginning of teleoconch whorls; whereas most species first have two rows and add a third one later on. It is distinguished from an undescribed native species by the protoconch whorls, which are smooth and form a tapering apex, whereas they are ribbed and cylindrical in the native species. BIOLOGY / ECOLOGY All Cerithiopsis species live and graze on sponges, but the particular host of C. tenthrenois is not yet known. The multispiral protoconch indicates planktotrophic larvae. habitat : unknown.

1st Mediterranean record Israel, 1989 [1982]. DISTRIBUTION Worldwide: originally described from the Indian Ocean, but the exact Indo-Pacific distribution is not established. Mediterranean: recorded first in 1982 from Israel, Shiqmona and Haifa Bay (van Aartsen et al., 1989); then from southeast coast of Turkey, Mersina area (Tringali and Villa, 1990), and southern coast of Cyprus (Buzzurro and Greppi, 1997). ESTABLISHMENT SUCCESS Rare. speculated reasons for success : - MODE OF INTRODUCTION Possibly via the Suez Canal. IMPORTANCE TO HUMANS None.

KEY REFERENCES Buzzurro G. and Greppi E., 1997. Notes on the mollusks of Cyprus, with special attention to the alloctone species. La Conchiglie, 283: 21-31 and 61-62. Tringali L. and Villa R., 1990. Rinvenimenti malacologici dalle coste turche (Gastropoda, Polyplacophora, Bivalvia). Notiziario del CISMA, 12: 33-41. van Aartsen J.J., Barash A, and Carrozza F., 1989. Addition to the knowledge of the Mediterranean mollusca of Israel and Sinai. Bollettino Malacologico, 25(1-4): 63-76.   FEEDBACK / COMMENTS TO AUTHORS

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