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.   FEEDBACK / COMMENTS TO AUTHORS

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