Clio campylura (Tesch, 1948)
Overview
This is a shelled, uncoiled, pyramidally shaped, pelagic snail, up to 0.7 cm long. The shell is transparent, broadly triangular and oval in cross-section. Growth lines are narrowly spaced and regular, the lateral sides are rounded in cross section. It feeds on phytoplankton and protozoa and lives in deep waters of the Indian Ocean (Clio campylura line drawing).
Taxonomic Description
The posterior part of the shell is distinctly curved dorsally. The lateral ribs are, in ventral view, straight with numerous cracks as also found in the caudal spine of Diacria trispinosa. The ribs are not sharp, except near the aperture, more distally they are marked by the cracks and in the posterior third, they are indicated only by a faintly angular curve in transverse sections of the shell. Longitudinal ribs on the ventral and the dorsal sides are smooth. Microscopically the shell appears "calibrated" over its entire length by regularly distributed, continuous, transverse lines. The embryonic shell resembles that of Clio chaptali as it is not sharply pointed, obtuse and hardly separated from the rest of the shell (Clio campylura). The fins are colourless, moderately sized and bilobate. The posterior footlobe is semicircular and of the same size as the contracted fins. A balancer is present on the left side. The pallial gland is typical and similar to Clio chaptali.
The shell is 7 mm long and 4 mm wide.
Juveniles
The embryonic shell is oval pointed and the protoconch II is characterised by the transverse growth lines (Clio campylura line drawing).
Reproduction
The species is a protandric hermaphrodite, and is probably ovoviviparous (brood protection). Numerous oval bodies in the mantle cavity are the larvae.
Ecology
The species is phytophagous, and bathypelagic though one record from the upper 200 m proves that it may be found in more shallow waters.
Distribution
This species is found in the Indo-Pacific Ocean, see the Clio campylura map.
Types
Euclio campylura Tesch, 1948: 21, pl. 3, fig. 5.
Lectotype ZMUC (alcohol collection), Paralectotype: ZMUC nearly dissolved specimen (alcohol collection).
Type locality: 1° 53'N 96°07'E, 12°20'N 96°43'E. Coll. CDAE Stat. 3828,stat. 3847ii+iv.