< Previous species


PULSELLIDAE


Next species >


7582-1.jpg (178180 bytes)

 

 

Compressidens platyceras (Sharp & Pilsbry, 1897)

Description: Shape moderately curved. Weight light. Aperture diameter up to 1.3 mm. Apex diameter up to 0.75 mm. Sculpture longitudinal sculpture absent. Transverse sculpture irregular growth rings. Aperture circular or oval. Colour alternating translucent and opaque bands when fresh, becoming uniformly opaque white with age.

Size: Up to 12 mm in length.

Distribution: Global distribution unknown. Assumed to be endemic to Australia with a distribution from southern Qld southwards to eastern Bass Strait.

Habitat: Common in shallow water dredgings (i.e. shallower than 100 m) from bays and estuaries around Sydney. Occasionally found in beach wash-up. Common.

Remarks: Although this species is described as having some compression at the aperture, this feature is not always apparent. Lamprell & Healy (1998) noted that only half of the 276 specimens they examined showed this feature, and in my examination of the Australian Museum specimens, I found it to be even less frequent.

Lamprell & Healy (1998) recorded one lot of specimens from a depth of 2900 m, but that is anomalous considering that most lots were from shallower than 100 m.

Fig. 1: 7583-1 Simpsons Beach, Bundeena, Port Hacking, NSW (C.172352) a. Lateral view, b. Aperture.

 

Copyright Des Beechey 2020