Relevant Synonyms Eulimella columna Hedley, 1907 Misidentification -  photo: G. Buzzuro - E. Greppi

SHORT DESCRIPTION Shell cylindrical, very small, semi-transparent, with heterostrophic topwhorl. Sculpture of spiral lines, present in all the whorls of the teleoconch, except for the subsutural zone which is smooth. A deep sinus is present in the outer lip; under this a keel may be detected. The heterostrophic protoconch smooth, flattened, only slightly tilted in relation to the teleoconch whorls. The black soft parts are clearly visible, due to the transparency of the shell. color : almost colorless, translucent. common size : 1.6 - 1.7 mm in length. DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS Murchisonella is easily distinguishable among Anisocyclidae for its cylindrical shell with a flattened protoconch and truncated outline. The sculpture of juveniles of some species of native Aclididae [Aclis minor (Brown, 1827), Aclis ascaris (Turton, 1819)] could lead to in misidentification, but the presence of the heterostrophic topwhorl solves the problem for a sure identification of M. columna. BIOLOGY / ECOLOGY Unknown. habitat : on algal turfs of shallow water.

1st Mediterranean record Tasuçu, Turkey, 1995 [no collecting date]. DISTRIBUTION Worldwide: Indo-Pacific (type locality in Queensland, Australia: Hedley, 1907). Mediterranean : recorded first along the Turkish coasts (Bogi et al., 1995); subsequently in Haifa, Israel (Bogi and Galil, 1999). ESTABLISHMENT SUCCESS Rare, only a few specimens have bee found. speculated reasons for success : - MODE OF INTRODUCTION Unknown. IMPORTANCE TO HUMANS None.

KEY REFERENCES Bogi C., Buzzurro G. and Greppi E., 1995. Presenza di Murchisonella columna (Hedley, 1907) nel Mediterraneo orientale. Bollettino Malacologico, 31(1-4): 69-76. Bogi C. and Galil S.B., 1999. Nuovi ritrovamenti di immigranti lessepsiani lungo le coste israeliane. La Conchiglia, 292: 22-29, 63. Buzzurro G. and Greppi E., 1996. The lessepsian molluscs of Tasuçu (SouthEast Turkey). La Conchiglia, supplement to 279: 3-22.   Hedley C. W., 1907. The Mollusca of Mast Head Reef, Capricorn Group, Queensland. Part 2. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, 32: 476-513. FEEDBACK / COMMENTS TO AUTHORS

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