Marsenina stearnsii

Marsenina stearnsii
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
(unranked): clade Caenogastropoda
clade Hypsogastropoda
clade Littorinimorpha
Superfamily: Velutinoidea
Family: Velutinidae
Subfamily: Lamellariinae
Genus: Marsenina
Species: M. stearnsii
Binomial name
Marsenina stearnsii
(Dall, 1871)[1]
Synonyms

Lamellaria stearnsii Dall, 1871[2]

Marsenina stearnsii is a species of small slug-like sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the subfamily Lamellariinae of the family Velutinidae.

Description

The size of an adult shell varies between 15 mm and 20 mm. The thin, translusent white shell is visible through a dorsal pore in the mantle. The finely pitted mantle is white to pale pink with darker spots.

Distribution

This white slug-like snail is known from Alaska[3] and central California.[4] It can be found in the rocky intertidal, often in association with the ascidian Trididemnum opacum.[4][5] They are relatively rare, found in the low rocky intertidal, usually under rocks on the ascidian Trididemnem opacum which it matches in color and pattern and upon which it preys.[6]

References


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