PYRAMIDELLIDAE

  Odostomia (Megastomia) lorioli
(Hornung and Mermod, 1924)

Relevant Synonyms
Syrnola lorioli Hornung and Mermod, 1924

Misidentification
-

 photo: J. J. van Aartsen    

SHORT DESCRIPTION
Shell conical, turriculated, with a nearly smooth surface, with only some faint streaks in a spiral direction. The later whorls have a distinct keel running just above the suture of the following whorl, and continued on the body whorl. As the other species of the subgenus Megastomia, O. lorioli has the inner part of the outer lip with a few teeth. The top-whorls are intorted ("type C", according to van Aartsen, 1987).

color : colorless to white.

common size : small, 2.5 mm (holotype).

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
This species may be confused with other Mediterranean species of the subgenus Megastomia [e. g., O. (M.) conoidea (Brocchi, 1814), O. (M.) conspicua Alder, 1850, O. (M.) sicula Philippi, 1851], all characterised by a number of narrow teeth inside the outer lip, but O. lorioli is different on the basis of the white color of the shell, the not helicoid, but planorbid, top-whorls ("type C" according to van Aartsen) and the shell surface with very feeble spiral threads.

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

habitat : the holotype was collected at 10-30 m depth.


1st Mediterranean record
Israel, 1987 [1974].


DISTRIBUTION
Worldwide: Red Sea. Mediterranean: recorded first from Haifa, Israel in 1974 (van Aartsen, 1987).

ESTABLISHMENT SUCCESS
Uncommon.

speculated reasons for success :
-


MODE OF INTRODUCTION
Possibly via the Suez Canal.


IMPORTANCE TO HUMANS
None.


KEY REFERENCES

  • Buzzurro G. and Greppi E., 1995. Note sul materiale tipico di origine lessepsiana della collezione Hornung & Mermod. Notiario del CISMA, 17: 5-16.
  • van Aartsen J. J., 1987. European Pyramidellidae: 3. Odostomia and Ondina. Bollettino Malacologico, 23(1-4): 1-34.
  • van Aartsen J.J., Barash A. and Carrozza F., 1989. Addition to the knowledge of the Mediterranean mollusca of Israel and Sinai. Bollettino Malacologico, 25(1-4): 63-76.

 

FEEDBACK / COMMENTS TO AUTHORS
 



Last update : December 2003

©ciesm 2002