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]

Retusa truncatula
Scientific classification Edit this 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[1]

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

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

Description

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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

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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

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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

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  1. ^ 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
  2. ^ 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.
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