Retusa truncatula

Retusa truncatula
	Retusa truncatula
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
(unranked):	clade Heterobranchia; clade Euthyneura; clade Euopisthobranchia; clade Cephalaspidea
Superfamily:	Philinoidea
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 mollusk in the family Retusidae^[1]

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

Description[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

^ ^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[edit]

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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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