Gleba chrysostricta (Troschel, 1854)
[dubious species]
Overview
This is a shell-less pteropod with a large gelatinous slipper-like pseudoconch, 4.5 cm long. The pseudoconch is rounded in shape. The wings are disc-shaped and the visceral mass forms a dark nucleus embedded in the perfectly transparent pseudoconch. The pseudoconch is rounded at both sides and covered with a few warts. The proboscis is prominent and as long as half the wing disc diameter. It is an elegant swimmer that feeds with a mucous web on microplankton. It lives in the warm waters of Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
Taxonomic Description
The two characters discriminating this species are the yellow coloured spots at upper and underside of the wings, and the proboscis is shorter than in Gleba cordata which reaches the middle of the swimming plate. Both these characters are, however, strongly influenced by preservation and fixation. Several authors have made a clear distinction between the two species in this genus although Gleba chrysostricta is poorly known.
Measurements similar to Gleba cordata.
Juveniles
A special description is not available.
Reproduction
This species is a protandric hermaphrodite.
Ecology
This species is phytophagous and epipelagic.
Distribution
This species, when not synonymized with the preceding one, is found in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Indian Oceans and resembles Cymbulia sibogae in its distribution, see the Gleba chrysostricta map.
Type
Tiedemannia chrysosticta Troschel, 1854: 218, pl. 9, figs. 10-11.
Holotype: one specimen was concerned but probably not indicated as the type.
Type locality: Messina (Mediterranean). Coll.: Troschel.