Pruvotella pellucida (Quoy and Gaimard, 1832)
Overview
This is a small naked pelagic snail, up to 0.5 cm long, with a moderately transparent body. The body shape is oval, pointed posteriorly; only a distinct lateral gill is present. It is carnivorous species and lives in the Indo-Pacific Ocean (Pruvotella pellucida).
Taxonomic Description
Body transparent, whitish; the visceral mass is marked by a reddish-violet colour. Lateral, as well as, posterior gills present. Tesch (1950) found the posterior gill lacking in small specimens and the lateral gill was not fringed as in adults. The posterior gill is quadrangular in shape with two dorsal and two ventral rays. The lateral gill nearly encircles the entire body. A proboscis is present. The lateral footlobes are broad, a median tubercle is present. The head and wings are relatively small. The Pruvotella pellucida radula formula 5-1-5. The median plate is tricuspoid with subequal cusps. The lateral plates are about equal in size. Hooks and spines of the jaws is slender, pointed and straight.
Body length up to 5 mm.
Juveniles
A special description is not available.
Reproduction
This species is a protandric hermaphrodite.
Ecology
This species is a carnivore.
Distribution
Represented by too few records to allow any conclusion. It is known from the Indian Ocean an Indo-Malayan waters, see the Pruvotella pellucida map.
Types
Pruvotella pellucida Quoy and Gaimard, 1832: 390, pl. 28, fig. 25.
Types are not preserved (cf. Pruvot-Fol, 1932).
Type locality: "Rade Amboine" (Bay of Ambon). Col. CASE.