Retusa truncatula

Retusa truncatula
	Retusa truncatula
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
(unranked):	clade Heterobranchia; clade Euthyneura; clade Euopisthobranchia; clade Cephalaspidea
Superfamily:	Philinoidea
Family:	Retusidae
Genus:	Retusa
Species:	R. truncatula
Binomial name
	Retusa truncatula; (Bruguière, 1792)
Synonyms
	Bulla pellucida Brown, 1827 Bulla retusa Maton & Rackett, 1807; Bulla semisulcata Philippi, 1836; Bulla truncata Adams J., 1800; Bulla truncatula Bruguière, 1792 (original combination); Coleophysis effusa Monterosato, 1890 (dubious synonym); Cylichna truncatella Locard, 1886; Retusa (Coleophysis) piriformis Nordsieck, 1972; Retusa carinensis de Gregorio, 1889; Retusa dilatata Pallary, 1904 (dubious synonym); Retusa dilatata var. minor Pallary, 1904 (dubious synonym); Retusa piriformis Nordsieck, 1972; Retusa semisulcata (Philippi, 1836); Utriculus truncatulus (Bruguière, 1792); Utriculus truncatulus var. pellucida (Brown, 1827); Volvaria pellucida Brown, 1827;

Retusa truncatula is a species of very small head-shield sea snail or barrel-bubble snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Retusidae^[1]

The subspecies Retusa truncatula var. mammilata: is a synonym of (Philippi, 1836)

Description[]

The shell is minute with a flattened spire and longitudinal striations. The colour of the living animal is white. The adult length is usually less than 4 mm.^[2]

Distribution[]

This species occurs in South Africa, from False Bay to Durban in shallow estuaries. It is also known from northern Europe, the Mediterranean Sea and the Canary Islands.^[2]

Natural history[]

This small sea snail lives from the intertidal zone to just below the low water mark. It burrows in the mud or sand of tidal marshes, and feeds on foraminiferans.^[2]

References[]

^ ^a ^b Gofas, S. (2013). Retusa truncatula (Bruguière, 1792). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=141138 on 2014-03-20
^ ^a ^b ^c Gosliner, T.M. 1987. Nudibranchs of Southern Africa ISBN 0-930118-13-8

Gofas, S.; Le Renard, J.; Bouchet, P. (2001). Mollusca. in: Costello, M.J. et al. (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels. 50: pp. 180–213.

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[WoRMS-1] Gofas, S. (2013). Retusa truncatula (Bruguière, 1792). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=141138 on 2014-03-20

[Gosliner_1987-2] Gosliner, T.M. 1987. Nudibranchs of Southern Africa ISBN 0-930118-13-8

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