Species Account

Lepton squamosum (Montagu, 1803)

Galeommatoidea : Leptonidae

Tebble name: Lepton squamosum (Montagu)
Smith & Heppell name: Lepton squamosum (Montagu, 1803)

To size: To 15mm. Shell Structure: Thin, fragile. Equivalve: Equivalve. Equilateral: Subequilateral, beaks small just in front of midline. Tumidity: Compressed. Outline: Rhomboidal, dorsal and ventral margins parallel, anterior and posterior sloping obliquely, anterior slightly narrower.

Sculpture: Of prominent growth stops, very fine co-marginal lines and overall densely punctate. Margin: Inner margin smooth. Ligament: Internal, very small in a narrow triangular pit beneath and slightly directed posteriorly. Hinge: Teeth small; RV with paired anterior and posterior laterals and a single very small cardinal; LV with single laterals and a small cardinal. Pallial Musculature: Adductor scars equal; pallial line wide, entire. Colour: Shell white.

Distribution & Ecology

Commensal with and attached to the undersides of the burrowing callianasid shrimps Upogebia deltaura and U. stellata. Low in the intertidal, sublittoral and shallow shelf. Restricted to the south and west coasts.

Depth Range
Intertidal
Continental Shelf (to 200m)

Additional Information & Related Species

Key Features & Similar Species

The rhomboidal outline, punctate surface and commensal habit are very distinctive.

Related Species

Galeommatoidea : Leptonidae

References

Listed are literature citing Lepton squamosum (Montagu, 1803). Reference containing the species Type Description is highlighted.

Kallonas M, Zenetos A & Gofas S 1999. Notes on the Ecology and Distribution of Microbivalvia in Greek Waters. La Conchiglia. 291: 11-20.
Montagu G 1803. Testacea Britannica, or natural history of British shells, marine, land and the fresh-water, including the most minute: systematically arranged and embellished with figures Romsey, London. 606pp, 16pls.
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.

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Record last modified: 17/05/2016