(Adams J., 1797)

Description (shell):
A moderately tall conical shell of 5-6 whorls. The whorls dip sharply to the sutures but are otherwise only gently curved. Apex is blunt with intucked larval shell. There are 20-25 costae on the last whorl, tending to be flexuous and ending at the periphery and not reaching the base; mainly orthocline. The costae are flat-topped and about equal in breadth to the intervening hollows. Usually there are two spiral ridges near periphery of the last whorl, one on each whorl in the spire. Umbilical groove usually ends in a chink. Tooth is usually obvious on columella. The outer lip has a slight anal sinus and peripheral projection. Last whorl occupies about 60 % of shell height, aperture 35-40 %.

Size:
Up to 3 x 1.5 mm.

Colour:
White.

Animal:
The head has two more or less triangular tentacles longitudinally grooved along their lateral margins, with their bases almost linked across the midline. The eyes are small and close together between the tentacle bases. A short and narrow mentum projects from under the tentacles with the proboscis opening at its base dorsally. The opening of a sac into which the penis is invaginated lies between the mentum and the dorsal surface of the foot. Foot short, with slight anterolateral points. Body is translucent white.

Habitat:
Lives from low intertidal levels in rock pools to 90 m deep. They commonly associate with oysters but also with other bivalves.

Distribution:
Occurs from the Mediterranean to northern Norway (Distr. C. interstincta).

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Mollusca
Class Gastropoda
Subclass Heterobranchia
Order Heterostropha
Family Pyramidellidae
Genus Chrysallida
Species Chrysallida interstincta

Status in World Register of Marine Species

Accepted name: Chrysallida interstincta (Adams J., 1797)

Scientific synonyms and common names

Turbo interstinctus Adams J., 1797
Turbo interstinctus Montagu, 1803 non Turbo interstinctus Adams J., 1797
Odostomia interstincta: Montagu, 1803
Jaminia obtusa Brown, 1827
Parthenina obtusa: Brown, 1827
Pyramis lamarckii Brown T., 1844
Elodia hortensiae de Nansouty, 1872
Odostomia penchynati B.D.D., 1883
Odostomia jeffreysi var. flexicostata B.D.D., 1883
Parthenia flexicosta Locard, 1886
Pyrgulina pyrgulella Coen, 1937
Chrysallida obtusa

Aartsen, J.J. van, 1977. European Pyramidellidae: I. Chrysallida . Conchiglie, 13: 49-64.

Seaward, D.R., 1990. Distribution of the marine molluscs of north west Europe. Nature Conservancy Council.

You can continue searching for Chrysallida interstincta on one of these Web sites:

Fauna Europaea (animals) | IOPI (plants) | NCBI (genetic)

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