Clione limacina (Phipps, 1774) subsp. limacina (Phipps, 1774) forma elegantissima Dall, 1871
Overview
This is a naked pelagic snail, up to 0.7 cm long, with a mainly transparent, very slender body that is only orange/red in the tail, tentacles and mouth organs. The reddish brown visceral mass is seen through the body wall. It is a rather quick swimmer that hunts shelled pteropods as food. It lives in the N-Atlantic Oceans in the upper water layers where it is usually uncommon.
Taxonomic Description
The only description available is that given by Dall (1871) which is given here: wings small, pink, with translucent margins, a ray of bright crimson in the centre of each, subtriangular. Body is pyriform slender (Clione l.l. elegantissima), caudal end usually curved to one side; a patch of brownish-crimson with well defined edges on the back, ventral side and tail, brownish-pink. Head well differentiated longitudinally striped with carmine on a lighter background. Two tentacles, short, cylindrical, brownish. Cephalic lobes six, thick leaf-like, short, covered with fine granulations or pores on their anterior sides, which are flattened and of the most brilliant carmine. Disk cleft in the median line. Mouth with two broad carmine labia.
Body length up to 7 mm.
Juveniles
A special description is not available.
Reproduction
This form is a protandric hermaphrodite.
Ecology
This form is a carnivore
Distribution
This form probably lives in the N-Atlantic (AMNAPE) and N-Pacific. See also the explanation of distribution under C.l.l. limacina and the Clione l.l. elegantissima map.
Types
Clione elegantissima Dall, 1871: 139.
Type locality: 51°50'N? 161°26'E?. Coll.: DALL, reg. no. 309.