| Date: | Tue, 18 Jun 2002 22:53:54 -0400 |
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| Reply-To: | Conchologists of America List <CONCH-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> |
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| Sender: | Conchologists of America List <CONCH-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> |
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| From: | Jose H Leal <jleal@SHELLMUSEUM.ORG> |
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| Subject: | Re: Trachypollia |
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| In-Reply-To: | <4.1.20020618194419.0093e850@pop.mindspring.com> |
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| Content-Type: | multipart/alternative;
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Carlos and Harry,
As you all may already know, Trachypollia turricula and T. nodulosa are
"classical" examples of neogastropods with long-lasting pelagic larval
stages. The protoconchs in these two species are elegant textbook examples
of the many-whorled larval shells made by gastropods that spend a good
chunk of their early life in the plankton. (This drifting lifestyle makes
the little larvae prone to long-distance dispersal by currents, and
dispersal apparently enables the species to have broader geographical
ranges.) The protoconchs in both species are very similar and covered with
microscopic pustules; that of T. nodulosa is almost completely covered
(except for the embryonic, or first, whorl), while the one of T. turricula
lacks pustules altogether in the first three whorls.
Cheers,
José
José H. Leal, Ph.D.
Director, The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum
Editor, THE NAUTILUS
jleal@shellmuseum.org
Visit us at www.shellmuseum.org
3075 Sanibel-Captiva Road
Sanibel, FL 33957 USA
(239) 395-2233; fax (239) 395-6706
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