Odd looking snail, can anyone ID/ reefsafe?

[Hella]

This was on a coral that I just picked up and is now living in a bucket till I know more about it.

The spots on its back move when you touch it. Its about 1/4 long.

 

[DirtyHermit]

Cowrie?

 

[Hella]

Thanks, with that name I found it.

Flamingo Tongue Snail is what its called and they eat corals.
Good thing I saw it before I put the coral in.

 

[pagojoe]

Hi Hella,

Beautiful animal. It's an ovulid alright, but it's not a Flamingo Tongue. It will feed on gorgonians or soft corals, probably the latter. I don't know that I have the references to ID it to the species level, but Leslie is working on a collection of live-animal photos of ovulids, so she may be able to ID it. Most of the ovulids I only know by shell characteristics.

Cheers,



Don

 

[Grey Reefer]

From the picture it appears to be a Spotted Cyphoma (Cyphoma Macgintyi). Native to Gulf of Mexico and the Western Atlantic. Attaches to and feeds on gorgonians.

 

[pagojoe]

No, it's an Indo-Pacific ovulid, one of the ones with an oval shell, a trace of an orange ring, and a few spots on the shell, although I can't tell how many through the semi-transparent mantle. All the Cyphoma species are somewhat cylindrical with a swollen area in the middle of the shell, and truncated ends. This one doesn't share those characteristics. I'll try to give you a closer ID when I get home from work.

Cheers,



Don

 

[pagojoe]

It's probably Margovula culmen, although I have no idea what the mantle of this species looks like. If not, it may be one of the Pseudosimnia species:

http://www.gastropods.com/9/Shell_5509.html

http://www.gastropods.com/8/Shell_5508.html

http://www.gastropods.com/1/Shell_6961.html



Don

 

[Grey Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12316655#post12316655 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pagojoe
No, it's an Indo-Pacific ovulid, one of the ones with an oval shell, a trace of an orange ring, and a few spots on the shell, although I can't tell how many through the semi-transparent mantle. All the Cyphoma species are somewhat cylindrical with a swollen area in the middle of the shell, and truncated ends. This one doesn't share those characteristics. I'll try to give you a closer ID when I get home from work.

Cheers,



Don

My bad, I was looking at the coloration and not the shape. It does have the exact same color pattern as Cyphoma macgintyi.

 

[pagojoe]

Right, the patterning is remarkably similar. Add to that the fact that the shell of many of the ovulid species are almost identical, and you can see that it's a difficult family to sort out.

Cheers,


Don

 

[LeslieH]

Hi Don -- the closest mantle match I could find is a picture in 2002 sea shells - Pseudosiminia margarita. Doesn't mean that's it!

 

[pagojoe]

Thanks Leslie! :thumbsup: