02 Leucophytia bidentata
Fusiform (spindle/cigar shape) shell, like white wax rolled between finger and thumb. A very thin, yellowish-white, varnish-like periostracum gives a translucent ivory-white colour. Small spire with blunt, very slightly twisted apex. Up to 6 or 7 almost flat whorls with flat subsutural ramp that, telescope-like, 'sleeves' the preceding whorl. The resulting suture is very shallow, but distinct, and often undulates irregularly. The shell surface is smooth except for a few growth lines. Interior of aperture (throat) is smooth and featureless apart from growth lines.
Three specimens. Under stone embedded in soil-like substrate with Myosotella myosotis form denticulata at EHWS. Menai Strait, Wales. April 2018.
Left: three views of 4.1 mm high shell occupied by contracted, live animal seen through translucent white shell.
Right: two vacant shells, heights 4.3mm and 3.8mm.
Inner (columellar/parietal) lip has only 2 protrusions within the aperture.
Outer (palatal) lip has no protrusions or rib (sometimes in a photo, a strong growth line might be mistaken for a rib).
Shell widths 44% to 49% of shell heights.
1: spire height. 18% to 21% of shell heights.
2: body whorl height. 79% to 82% of shell heights.
3: aperture height. 61% to 66% of shell heights.
4: flesh colour is almost pure white, but appears cream when contracted into body-whorl and seen through the translucent shell and yellowish periostracum.
5: viscera in spire may show brown/orange through the spire.
6: parietal lip is a wide glazed area on the body whorl (not easily seen in photographs).
Full SPECIES DESCRIPTION: flic.kr/p/24rjgd4
Sets of OTHER SPECIES:
02 Leucophytia bidentata
Fusiform (spindle/cigar shape) shell, like white wax rolled between finger and thumb. A very thin, yellowish-white, varnish-like periostracum gives a translucent ivory-white colour. Small spire with blunt, very slightly twisted apex. Up to 6 or 7 almost flat whorls with flat subsutural ramp that, telescope-like, 'sleeves' the preceding whorl. The resulting suture is very shallow, but distinct, and often undulates irregularly. The shell surface is smooth except for a few growth lines. Interior of aperture (throat) is smooth and featureless apart from growth lines.
Three specimens. Under stone embedded in soil-like substrate with Myosotella myosotis form denticulata at EHWS. Menai Strait, Wales. April 2018.
Left: three views of 4.1 mm high shell occupied by contracted, live animal seen through translucent white shell.
Right: two vacant shells, heights 4.3mm and 3.8mm.
Inner (columellar/parietal) lip has only 2 protrusions within the aperture.
Outer (palatal) lip has no protrusions or rib (sometimes in a photo, a strong growth line might be mistaken for a rib).
Shell widths 44% to 49% of shell heights.
1: spire height. 18% to 21% of shell heights.
2: body whorl height. 79% to 82% of shell heights.
3: aperture height. 61% to 66% of shell heights.
4: flesh colour is almost pure white, but appears cream when contracted into body-whorl and seen through the translucent shell and yellowish periostracum.
5: viscera in spire may show brown/orange through the spire.
6: parietal lip is a wide glazed area on the body whorl (not easily seen in photographs).
Full SPECIES DESCRIPTION: flic.kr/p/24rjgd4
Sets of OTHER SPECIES: