Recluzia insignis Pilsbry and Lowe, 1933
[very dubious species, it is probably not a pelagic mollusc at all; given here only as it is frequently mentioned as a Janthinid]
Overview
This is a large, shelled pelagic snail. It lives in the pleuston and has no swimming fins. The dextral shell is highly coiled with 4 concave whorls. The aperture is round. The shell is dull buff with strong spiral ribs on the teleoconch. It is a carnivorous species predating on relatively large floating animals (Recluzia insignis). It lives in the E-Pacific.
Taxonomic Description
The shell is white with a dull buff coloured periostracum, imperforate. The teleoconch has 4 strongly convex whorls with a deep suture. The sculpture consists of strong spiral lines (8 on the penultimate whorl, 16 on the body whorl), crossed by narrow, widely placed axial riblets. The sculpture is much stronger than in Recluzia palmeri. The aperture is oval, the outer lip is thin. The columella is weakly concave, with a heavy, reflected callus over the umbilical region.
Shell length: 15.3 mm, diameter: 9.6 mm
Juveniles
The juveniles have a dextrally coiled shell. A special description is not available.
Distribution
This species is known from off Panama.
Types
Recluzia insignis Pilsbry and Lowe, 1933: 80, pl. 9, fig. 3.
Type preserved in ANSP 155432.
Type locality: Rep. Panama: Montijo Bay.