Atlanta peresi Frontier, 1966b
Overview
This is a medium sized, dextrally shelled, pelagic snail, 0.3 cm in diameter with large eyes and a single swimming fin. The shell is strongly flattened and keeled with 3.5 whorls. The spire is large and straight. The body whorl is pink. The operculum is relatively large. It is a carnivore predating on relatively large zooplankton. This species occurs in the Indian (Atlanta peresi line drawing).
Taxonomic Description
The shell has 3.5 whorls. The keel (with maximum height of 0.72 mm) penetrates 1/2 whorl distance in between the preceding whorls (Atlanta peresi). The spire grows gradually. The whorl formula is 1:0.29:0.11. Two whorls of the spire are visible from underneath.The umbilicus is relatively large. The apical angle is 110-130°. The spire and shell are smooth. The shell is transparent white except for the pink body whorl. The operculum resembles that of Atlanta lesueuri but it is larger (Atlanta peresi opercule).
Shell diameter of holotype 2.69 mm
Juveniles
The juveniles have a small, dextrally coiled shell. The larvae (Atlanta peresi larve) have a velum with six long slender lobes. The Atlanta peresi juvenile shows 3.5 smooth whorls; the lateral sides of the whorls are slightly compressed.
Reproduction
In this species the sexes are separate.
Ecology
This species isa carnivore and epipelagic.
Distribution
It is found in the W-Indian Ocean but it probably has a wider distribution, see the Atlanta peresi map.
Types
Atlanta peresi Frontier, 1966: 134, fig. 26-27.
Types were not properly indicated.
Type locality: Nosy Bé.