PYRAMIDELLIDAE

  Styloptygma beatrix
Melvill, 1911

Relevant Synonyms
-

Misidentification
-

 photo: S. Gofas / Coll. B. Galil    

SHORT DESCRIPTION
Shell slender-fusiform, elongated and thin, formed by seven rather flattened whorls; shell surface smooth for the first five whorls; the last two whorls with some axial streaks along growth lines. The top whorls are strongly heterostrophic, with flattened coil at a nearly right angle to the teleoconch axis. There is a well developed and straight columellar lip, with a well-pronounced tooth. No umbilicus.

color : white.

common size : 3.5 mm.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
The heterostrophic apex indicates the species as belonging to the family Pyramidellidae. The turriculated shell shape, allocates it to a restricted group of species of this family (Eulimella, Syrnola), among which it can be easily identified by the well- developed tooth on the columella, the constricted body whorl and the spiral sculpture on the middle part of the last whorls.

BIOLOGY / ECOLOGY
Pyramidellidae are ectoparasites, mainly of sedentary polychaetes and molluscs.

habitat : shallow water species.


1st Mediterranean record
Southern Turkey, 1992 [1988-89].


DISTRIBUTION
Worldwide : Persian Gulf. Mediterranean : recorded first in 1988-89 from southern Turkey (Micali and Palazzi, 1992); subsequently from Israel (Bogi and Galil, 1997).

ESTABLISHMENT SUCCESS
Rare.

speculated reasons for success :
-


MODE OF INTRODUCTION
Possibly via the Suez Canal.


IMPORTANCE TO HUMANS
None.


KEY REFERENCES

  • Bogi C. and Galil S. B., 1997. Ritrovamenti lungo le coste israeliane. La Conchiglia, 29(284): 42-45.
  • Buzzurro G. and Greppi E., 1995. Note sul materiale tipico di origine lessepsiana della collezione Hornung & Mermod. Notiziario del CISMA, 17: 5-16.
  • Micali P. and Palazzi S., 1992. Contributo alla conoscenza dei Pyramidellidae della Turchia, con segnalazione di due nuove immigrazioni dal Mar Rosso. Bollettino Malacologico, 28(1-4): 83-90.

 

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Last update : December 2003

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