Acro Snail

[ataller]

Hi,
Got this snail in a tupperware until I figure out what it is. It was a stow away on an acro colony I got today. Looks a little like a mini nassarius, it has a small trunk. White, spiral, conical shape.


Here are a couple bad photos.
Snail is on the bottom, center frame

Adam

 

[pagojoe]

Hey Adam,

It's not a Nassarius, although you are right, it looks kind of like a Nassarius. It's a tiny juvenile of some sort, and juveniles are often very difficult to ID. I would like to see the operculum, or even the animal, before I gave you a guess, but I'll guess anyway. If it has a fairly thin, reddish-purple operc, that's a pretty good indication it's a muricid in the subfamily Coralliophilinae. If it is, it may actually be a coral feeder. I don't think it is, however. I think it may be a juvenile Peristernia nassatula, which isn't really a beneficial snail, but isn't a coral eater either. If it's this species, it should have a fairly thick, dark brown or black operculum that is teardrop shaped. There is also a miter (worm eater) which has similar sculpture, Vexillum modestum, so it could be a juvenile of that species. If it's this species, it won't have an operculum at all.

http://www.gastropods.com/2/Shell_3372.html

http://www.gastropods.com/2/Shell_6182.html

Cheers,



Don

 

[ataller]

Looks like this isn't your run of the mill snail. True hitchiker and not from the LFS I guess.

Well I just put the little guy through hell, he was out for a good minute while I took these photos. I would hate to have to kill him, I keep an aquarium to watch things live not die. If he is neutral I will keep him of course, hopefully he does not eat coral, though he didn't leave the acro colony during the couple hours he went unseen.

First thing I did before I took pictures was look up snail operculum. Anyways I do not think think he has one. If I had to guess it would be Peristernia nassatula from the two you listed based on shell shape, but I did not see any black operculum.

Here are the three best I could get. He is really small, my macro lens cannot get any closer.

Let me know what you think

Adam

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13349154#post13349154 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pagojoe
Hey Adam,

It's not a Nassarius, although you are right, it looks kind of like a Nassarius. It's a tiny juvenile of some sort, and juveniles are often very difficult to ID. I would like to see the operculum, or even the animal, before I gave you a guess, but I'll guess anyway. If it has a fairly thin, reddish-purple operc, that's a pretty good indication it's a muricid in the subfamily Coralliophilinae. If it is, it may actually be a coral feeder. I don't think it is, however. I think it may be a juvenile Peristernia nassatula, which isn't really a beneficial snail, but isn't a coral eater either. If it's this species, it should have a fairly thick, dark brown or black operculum that is teardrop shaped. There is also a miter (worm eater) which has similar sculpture, Vexillum modestum, so it could be a juvenile of that species. If it's this species, it won't have an operculum at all.

http://www.gastropods.com/2/Shell_3372.html

http://www.gastropods.com/2/Shell_6182.html

Cheers,



Don

 

[VacavilleFC3S]

florida cerith????

 

[ataller]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13349664#post13349664 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by VacavilleFC3S
florida cerith????

It would be nice, but I am not sure. The actual snail itself does not look very cerith-ish.

Adam

 

[ataller]

I posted three closeups a couple posts back.


It seems that flickr is being touchy and not displaying them all the time. Don, if you can't see them let me know and I will try and repost.



Adam


Alternatively check out this link for the photos

http://www.flickr.com/photos/adamtaller/sets/72157607280197962/

 

[pagojoe]

Well, still can't get the photos to come up, either on here or going directly to flickr. We only have intermittent internet access after the hurricane, though, so maybe things will straighten out shortly. I'll keep checking occasionally.


Don

 

[ataller]

Darn, sorry I did not know you were hit by the hurricane Don. I hope everything and everyone is well.

As far as I can tell they are up on flickr same as the rest of my photos, I do not know why these are being finicky.

Don't worry about my little welk/snail, I am sure you have plenty to do / clean up over there.

Adam

 

[pagojoe]

OK, finally got the pics to come up. It will be a predatory snail for sure, even though I can't tell you which species with any confidence. It may only be predatory on worms, which would probably fall into your "neutral" category. I'm fairly sure it's not one of the species that eats coral. I'd probably keep it and see if it survives. If it does, it should be a lot easier to ID as it starts taking its adult form.

I survived the hurricane with only a few trees down and no damage to the house, but they say three to four weeks before power is restored to our area. I count myself among the blessed and lucky ones, lots of my neighbors had their houses turned into duplexes with big trees essentially cutting them in half.

Cheers,



Don

 

[ataller]

Thanks Don. I put him in the tank. Maybe in a year or two I will see him again and we can get an ID

Adam

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13357606#post13357606 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pagojoe
OK, finally got the pics to come up. It will be a predatory snail for sure, even though I can't tell you which species with any confidence. It may only be predatory on worms, which would probably fall into your "neutral" category. I'm fairly sure it's not one of the species that eats coral. I'd probably keep it and see if it survives. If it does, it should be a lot easier to ID as it starts taking its adult form.

I survived the hurricane with only a few trees down and no damage to the house, but they say three to four weeks before power is restored to our area. I count myself among the blessed and lucky ones, lots of my neighbors had their houses turned into duplexes with big trees essentially cutting them in half.

Cheers,



Don

 

[cplklegg]

Hey Don I've read many of your posts and thank you for your sharing of knowledge all the time. I just wanted to express my concern for your situation and my gladness that you and your family are allright. You and others are in my thoughts.