Atys (gastropod)

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Atys
Atys naucum.shell001.jpg
Two views of a shell of Atys naucum
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Cephalaspidea
Family: Haminoeidae
Genus: Atys
(Montfort, 1810)
Species

See text

Atys is a genus of very small to medium-sized sea snails, marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusks in the family Haminoeidae.[1]

All the species within the genus Atys are herbivores. They occur in tropical and warm oceans and seas. They are cephalaspideans, part of the suborder of headshield slugs and bubble snails.

The genus was named after Atys, a king of Alba Longa, who was mentioned in ancient Greek texts.

Description[]

These snails have a shell which is very lightweight and translucent, with a sunken spire. The shape of the shell in some species resembles a bubble, and because of this, species in this genus are commonly known as Atys bubble shells or Atys bubble snails. (Several other shelled families within the Cephalaspidea are even more commonly known as "bubble shells" or "bubble snails", for example, the Bullidae.)

The anatomy of the soft parts of most species within this genus has not been studied, but it seems that some of the species in this genus can not reliably be discriminated on the basis of shell characters alone. Unfortunately however, a considerable number of the species were originally named from empty shells, and as a result, their exact identity may be problematic.

Species[]

Species within the genus Atys include:[1]

  • Espinosa, Fernandez-Garcès & Ortea, 2004
  • Smith, 1972
  • Martin, 1906
  • Bozzetti, 2009
  • Récluz, 1843 (nomen dubium - probably a synonym of Atys jeffreysi)
    • Distribution : Mediterranean, Turkey
  • Michelotti, 1847
    • Distribution : Mediterranean, Turkey
  • d'Orbigny, 1841 Also known as Caribbean glassy-bubble, Sharp’s paper-bubble
    • Distribution : Florida, Caribbean, Brazil, Western Atlantic Ocean.
    • Length : 11 mm
    • Description : found at depths up to 183 m; small ovate white shell, narrowing toward the apex; sunken spire; body whorl has spiral grooves at the edges; narrow aperture
  • Carpenter, 1864 Clean glassy-bubble
  • Melvill, 1912
  • Brazier, 1879
  • Baker & Hanna, 1927
  • Habe, 1952
  • Atys convexa Preston, 1908
  • Pease, 1869
  • A. Adams, 1850 Striate bubble
  • (Helbling, 1779)
  • Hinds, 1779
    • Distribution : Indo-Pacific
    • Length : 30 mm
    • Description : Thin, fragile, subcylindrical shell with sunken apex. Color is white or very light brown. it may have a few brown axial lines.
  • Hedley, 1899
  • Brazier, 1879
  • Pease, 1871
    • Distribution : Hawaii
    • Length : 10 mm
    • Description : on sandy bottoms where they burrow through the sand with their flattened headshield for food like small crustaceans.
  • Brazier, 1879
  • A. Issel, 1869 (possibly = Atys naucum)
    • Distribution : Red Sea
    • Length : 11 mm
  • Melvill & Standen, 1903
  • Habe
  • Sowerby II, 1869 Guildin’s atys
  • Watson, 1883
  • Weinkauff, 1868
  • Pilsbry, 1920
  • Pilsbry, 1917
  • Hertlein & Strong, 1951
    • Distribution : California, Mexico
    • Length : 10 mm
  • Sturany, 1903
  • E. A. Smith, 1872
    • Distribution : Caribbean, Brazil, Eastern Atlantic Ocean, Azores, Canaries, Cape Verde Islands
    • Length : 7.3 mm
    • Description : found at depths of up to 75 m
  • Smith, 1872
  • Schepman, 1913
    • Distribution : Micronesia, Philippines
    • Length : 12 mm
    • Description : short headshield, broadened anteriorly, with internal black eyes. Short posterior lobes. Triangulate parapodia cover the anterior of the shell; short, rounded tail; The translucent Hancock’s organs appear as a thin low profile ridge. Translucent white animal with brown spots and clusters of opaque white dots; thin, elongate, ovoid shell; inner margin of the outer lip extends above the apex; slightly curved columella; deep umbilicus behind the fold
  • Gould, 1859
  • Atys naucum Linnaeus, 1758 White nut sheath bubble, Pacific nut sheath bubble
    • Distribution : Indo-Pacific (excluding the Red Sea), Australia
    • Length : 22–50 mm
    • Description : common species; light brown inflated bubble shell;: the brown color comes from the periostracum, covering the shell; this flakes off when the snail dies; juveniles have lengthwise brown wavy lines on the shell.
  • Atys neglectus Preston, 1908 *
  • Clean-slate glassy-bubble
  • Dall, 1896 Obscure glassy-bubble
    • Distribution : North Carolina
    • Length : 4 mm
  • Habe, 1952
  • Atys pacei Preston, 1908
  • Hedley, 1912
  • Gould, 1859
  • Hedley, 1904
  • Brazier, 1879
  • Iredale, 1936
  • Mörch, 1875
    • Distribution : Florida, Caribbean, Brazil
    • Length : 13 mm
    • Description : found at depths up to 90 m
  • Dall, 1881
    • Distribution : North Carolina, Cuba, Panama, Brazil
    • Length : 8 mm
  • A. Adams, 1862
  • Pease, 1860 Variably banded atys, variable banded bubble
    • Distribution : West Pacific
    • Length : 6 mm
  • Smith, 1904
  • Atys supracancellata Schepman, 1913: synonym of (Schepman, 1913)
  • Atys vixumbilicata Preston, 1908
  • Marcus, 1959

References[]

  1. ^ a b WoRMS : Atys; accessed : 13 October 2010

Books[]

  • Redfern, Colin, 2001, Bahamian Seashells, a thousand species from Abaco, Bahamas, published by BahamianSeashells.com Inc

External links[]

  • Excellent images of living animals of numerous species, along with life information, can be found by searching for "Atys" listings at the Sea Slug Forum: [1]
  • Some info and images: [2]
  • More info: [3]

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