Retusa truncatula

Retusa truncatula
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Order:	Cephalaspidea
Family:	Retusidae
Genus:	Retusa
Species:	R. truncatula
Binomial name
	Retusa truncatula; (Bruguière, 1792)
Synonyms
	Bulla pellucida Brown, 1827 Bulla retusa Maton & Rackett, 1807; Bulla semisulcata Philippi, 1836; Bulla truncata Adams J., 1800; Bulla truncatula Bruguière, 1792 (original combination); Coleophysis effusa Monterosato, 1890 (dubious synonym); Cylichna truncatella Locard, 1886; Retusa (Coleophysis) piriformis Nordsieck, 1972; Retusa carinensis de Gregorio, 1889; Retusa dilatata Pallary, 1904 (dubious synonym); Retusa dilatata var. minor Pallary, 1904 (dubious synonym); Retusa piriformis Nordsieck, 1972; Retusa semisulcata (Philippi, 1836); Utriculus truncatulus (Bruguière, 1792); Utriculus truncatulus var. pellucida (Brown, 1827); Volvaria pellucida Brown, 1827;

Retusa truncatula is a species of very small head-shield sea snail or barrel-bubble snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Retusidae^[1]

The subspecies Retusa truncatula var. mammilata: is a synonym of Retusa mammillata (Philippi, 1836)

Description

The shell is minute with a flattened spire and longitudinal striations. The colour of the living animal is white. The adult length is usually less than 4 mm.^[2]

Distribution

This species occurs in South Africa, from False Bay to Durban in shallow estuaries. It is also known from northern Europe, the Mediterranean Sea and the Canary Islands.^[2]

Natural history

This small sea snail lives from the intertidal zone to just below the low water mark. It burrows in the mud or sand of tidal marshes, and feeds on foraminiferans.^[2]

References

^ ^a ^b Gofas, S. (2013). Retusa truncatula (Bruguière, 1792). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=141138 on 2014-03-20
^ ^a ^b ^c Gosliner, T.M. 1987. Nudibranchs of Southern Africa ISBN 0-930118-13-8

Thiele J. (1925). Gastropoden der Deutschen Tiefsee-Expedition. II Teil. Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der Deutschen Tiefsee-Expedition auf dem Dampfer "Valdivia" 1898-1899. 17(2): 35-382, pls 13-46
Nordsieck, F. (1972). Die europäischen Meeresschnecken (Opisthobranchia mit Pyramidellidae; Rissoacea). Vom Eismeer bis Kapverden, Mittelmeer und Schwarzes Meer. Gustav Fischer, Stuttgart. XIII + 327 pp.
Gosliner, T. 1987. Nudibranchs of southern Africa: A guide to Opisthobranch molluscs of southern Africa Sea. Challengers, Monterey.
de Kluijver, M. J.; Ingalsuo, S. S.; de Bruyne, R. H. (2000). Macrobenthos of the North Sea [CD-ROM]: 1. Keys to Mollusca and Brachiopoda. World Biodiversity Database CD-ROM Series. Expert Center for Taxonomic Identification (ETI): Amsterdam, the Netherlands. ISBN 3-540-14706-3. 1 cd-rom.
Gofas, S.; Le Renard, J.; Bouchet, P. (2001). Mollusca. in: Costello, M.J. et al. (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels. 50: pp. 180–213.
Ceulemans, L.; Van Dingenen, F.; Landau B. M. (2018). The lower Pliocene gastropods of Le Pigeon Blanc (Loire-Atlantique, northwest France). Part 5 – Neogastropoda (Conoidea) and Heterobranchia (fine). Cainozoic Research. 18(2): 89-176.

External links

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[WoRMS-1] Gofas, S. (2013). Retusa truncatula (Bruguière, 1792). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=141138 on 2014-03-20

[Gosliner_1987-2] Gosliner, T.M. 1987. Nudibranchs of Southern Africa ISBN 0-930118-13-8

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