Marine Species Identification Portal : Thliptodon akatukai

Thliptodon akatukai Tokioka, 1950
[dubious species]

Overview

This is a small naked pelagic snail, smaller than 1 cm long, with a mainly transparent body only the visceral mass is seen through the body wall. The wings are well developed and implanted laterally in the barrel-shaped body. It is a rather quick swimmer that hunts shelled pteropods as food. It lives in the N-Pacific Ocean (Thliptodon akatukai).

Taxonomic Description

Animal barrel-shaped, transparent. Visceral mass not extending to the posterior body pole. Fins distally wider and their ends are more spatula-shaped than in Thliptodon gegenbauri. For the remaining characters there is a strong resemblance to the latter species. The only specimen known to science was the holotype. This species is briefly described here as it may be a valid species, though this is not clear from the original description.

Juveniles

A special description is not available.

Reproduction

This species is a protandric hermaphrodite.

Ecology

This species is a carnivore.

Distribution

This species is only known from its type locality off Seto, Japan, near the surface.

Types

Thliptodon akatukai Tokioka, 1950: 55, fig. 9.
Types are lost (pers. comm. Dr. T. Tokioka).
Type locality: Near Seto, Japan.

Thliptodon akatukai