Recluzia montrouzieri Souverbie, 1872
Overview
This is a relatively large, shelled pelagic snail. It lives in the pleuston and has no swimming fins. The dextral shell is highly coiled and blunt. There are spiral lines on the teleoconch. The aperture is oval, the columella is curved. It is a carnivorous species predating on relatively large floating animals (Recluzia montrouzieri). It lives in the W-Pacific Ocean.
Taxonomic Description
The shell is elongated oval, white and the periostracum is pale olive. There are about 6 convex whorls with a deep suture. There are spiral lines of different strength. The aperture is oval and elongated.
The shell is 23 mm long and 17 mm in diameter.
Juveniles
The juveniles have a dextrally coiled shell. A special description is not available.
Distribution
This species is recorded from the SW-Pacific Ocean, see the Recluzia montrouzieri map.
Types
Recluzia montrouzieri Souverbie, 1872: 57.
Types 1 specimen in the Mus. of Bordeaux.
Type locality: Is. Art, Nouvelle Calédonie.
Original description
Testa ovato-oblonga, subtenuis, apice acuto, sub epidermide tenui, subvernicosa, pallide olivaceo-albidula; anfr. 6 rotundati, sutura profunda separati, striis subundulatis, inaequidistantibus et inaequiliter impressis cincti. Apert. ovato-oblonga, basi subcontracta et subprotracta; margine sinistralis superne appresso, inferne extus breviter reflexo et columellam subverticalem formante.- Long. 23 mill. lat. max. 17; apert 15 mill. longa, 9 1/2 lata. (Mus. Burdigalense). Hab.Ins. Art (Archip. Caled.) (R. P. Montrouzier).