Abyssochrysos melvilli

Abyssochrysos melvilli, common name Melvill's abyssal shell, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Abyssochrysidae.[1]

Melvill's abyssal shell
Original drawing with two views of a shell of Abyssochrysos melvilli
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Mollusca
Class:
Gastropoda
(unranked):
clade Caenogastropoda
Superfamily:
Abyssochrysoidea
Family:
Abyssochrysidae
Genus:
Abyssochrysos
Species:
A. melvilli
Binomial name
Abyssochrysos melvilli
(Schepman, 1909)
Synonyms
  • Abyssochrysos tomlini Barnard, K.H., 1963
  • Argyropeza melvilli Schepman, 1909 (original description)
  • Argyropeza suavensis Ladd, H.S., 1977

Description

(Original description by M. Schepman) The size of the shell varies between 10 mm and 50 mm. The small, white shell has a pyramidal shape. The spire consists of 11½ whorls of which nearly 2 form the nucleus. The first whorl is rather bulbous and smooth. The second whorls is radiately ribbed and also swollen. The remaining whorls increase regularly in size. They are slightly contracted above and below, nearly straight towards the middle, with two spiral rows of pointed nodules, connected by slight spirals and oblique radiating ribs. Moreover, the shell has a thin spiral, just above the linear suture. The rest of the surface is smooth and shining, with a slight nacreous lustre and with numerous fine growth striae. The body whorl is conspicuously keeled below the periphery and with a second keel at some distance on the smooth base. The aperture is subrhombic. The outer margin is thin, angulate at the end of the lower row of nodules. The columellar margin is rounded, slightly curved, ending in a point, where it joins the basal margin.

M.Schepman was much puzzled by this species and couldn't readily place it. He tentatively placed it in the genus Argyropeza.[2]

Distribution

This species occurs in the Southwest Pacific Ocean and off Southeast Africa.

References
  1. Abyssochrysos melvilli (Schepman, 1909). Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 5 May 2010.
  2. Schepman 1908-1913, The Prosobranchia of the Siboga Expedition; Leyden,E. J. Brill,1908-13
  • Bouchet P. (1991). New records and new species of Abyssochrysos (Mollusca, Caenogastropoda). Journal of Natural History 25(2): 305–313
  • "Abyssochrysos melvilli". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
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