Aorotrema cistronium
Aorotrema cistronium is a minute sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Tornidae.[1]
Aorotrema cistronium | |
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Species: | A. cistronium |
Binomial name | |
Aorotrema cistronium (Dall, 1889) | |
Synonyms | |
Cyclostrema cistronium Dall, 1889 |
Description
(Original description by W. H. Dall) The height of the shell attains 2.5 mm. The maximum diameter is 2 mm. The small, white shell has a polished nucleus, one and a half rounded and as many more carinated whorls. The spire is depressed. The radiating sculpture consists of fine close flexuous threads, which appear chiefly in the interspaces of the spirals, giving the surface a minutely punctate appearance. These extend over the whole surface except of the nuclear whorls. The spiral sculpture consists of on the summit seven or eight, between the carinae six or eight, and on the base ten or fifteen extremely fine threads. These are even and uniform, with about equal interspaces, some a little granular from the radiating sculpture. Beside these there are three very strong carinae;. One forms the margin of the nearly flat spire, the second extends horizontally just below the periphery. The space between them is deeply excavated. The third forms the edge of the funicular, narrow, deep umbilicus. The base is conical, excavated just within the peripheral carina. It rises to the edge of the umbilicus, which is marked by a strong thread, and within is vertically striated. The body whorl descends from the general plane, and finally becomes separated from the body whorl. The simple margin is sharply angulated by the carinations, otherwise the aperture would be ovate, with the columellar side somewhat excavated.[2]
Distribution
This species occurs in the Atlantic Ocean off North Carolina and in the Gulf of Mexico off Texas at depths between 14 m and 115 m.[3]
References
- Bouchet, P. (2013). Aorotrema cistronium (Dall, 1889). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=419650 on 2013-08-27
- Dall W. H. 1889. Reports on the results of dredging, under the supervision of Alexander Agassiz, in the Gulf of Mexico (1877-78) and in the Caribbean Sea (1879-80), by the U.S. Coast Survey Steamer "Blake", Lieut.-Commander C.D. Sigsbee, U.S.N., and Commander J.R. Bartlett, U.S.N., commanding. XXIX. Report on the Mollusca. Part 2, Gastropoda and Scaphopoda. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoölogy at Harvard College 18: 1-492, pls. 10-40 (described as Cyclostrema cistronium)
- Welch J. J. (2010). "The “Island Rule” and Deep-Sea Gastropods: Re-Examining the Evidence". PLoS ONE 5(1): e8776. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0008776.
- Rosenberg, G., F. Moretzsohn, and E. F. García. 2009. Gastropoda (Mollusca) of the Gulf of Mexico, Pp. 579–699 in Felder, D.L. and D.K. Camp (eds.), Gulf of Mexico–Origins, Waters, and Biota. Biodiversity. Texas A&M Press, College Station, Texas.