Species Account

Kurtiella tumidula (Jeffreys, 1866)

Galeommatoidea : Montacutidae

Tebble name: n/a
Smith & Heppell name: Mysella tumidula (Jeffreys, 1866)

To size: To 3mm. Shell Structure: Thin, fragile. Equivalve: Equivalve. Equilateral: Inequilateral, beaks in the posterior 1/4. Outline: Subovate greatly expanded anteriorly; anterior dorsal margin long rather straight, horizontal, anterior broadly rounded; posterior dorsal short rather straight sloping steeply to narrowly rounded posterior.

Sculpture: Of fine co-marginal lines. Margin: Inner margin smooth. Ligament: Internal in a wide pit beneath the beaks and inserted deep inside the umbos. Hinge: Of two diverging lateral teeth in each valve, those in the RV clearly separated from shell margin, narrow, elongate, those in LV as extensions of shell margin. Angle of divergence in RV ca. 110°, in LV 130°. Pallial Musculature: Pallial line entire. Periostracum: Yellowish. Colour: Dirty white. Additional Characters: Prodissoconch 360 µm, P1 smooth, P2 with faint co-marginal growth lines.

Distribution & Ecology

No commensal association has been confirmed. Found at the shelf edge and upper slope from 200-800m. Along the entire western seaboard

Depth Range
Continental Shelf (to 200m)
Continental Margin Zone (200 - 500m)
Bathyal (500 - 2000m)

Additional Information & Related Species

References

Listed are literature citing Kurtiella tumidula (Jeffreys, 1866). Reference containing the species Type Description is highlighted.

Gofas, S. & Salas, C. 2008. A review of European ‘Mysella’ species (Bivalvia: Montacutidae), with description of Kurtiella new genus. Journal of Molluscan Studies. 74: 119-135.
Jeffreys J G 1866. Descriptions of a new species of Montacuta. Annals and magazine of natural History. 3 (18): 396-397.
Kallonas M, Zenetos A & Gofas S 1999. Notes on the Ecology and Distribution of Microbivalvia in Greek Waters. La Conchiglia. 291: 11-20.
Van Aartsen JJ 1996. Galeommatacea and Cyamiacea Part II. La Conchiglia. 281: 27-53, + 61.

Resources

  • Conchological Society of Great Britain & Ireland
    Provides resources for understanding, identifying, recording, and conserving molluscs
  • CLEMAM
    Check List of European Marine Mollusca
  • MarLIN
    The Marine Life Information Network for Britain and Ireland (MarLIN) provides information for marine environmental management, protection and education. It is a centre of excellence in spatially based and time-series marine biological information and supports good stewardship in the marine environment.
  • NBN Gateway
    National Biodiversity Network's Gateway. Use it to explore UK biodiversity data, as contributed by participating data providers.
  • BivAToL
  • MarBEF
  • Malacological Society
  • Unitas Malacologica
  • Census of Marine Life
  • MarBEF
    MarBEF, a network of excellence funded by the European Union and consisting of 94 European marine institutes, is a platform to integrate and disseminate knowledge and expertise on marine biodiversity, with links to researchers, industry, stakeholders and the general public.

Record last modified: 14/01/2014