Abyssochrysos Explained

Abyssochrysos is a genus of bathyal sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Abyssochrysidae.

Description

The characteristics (shell, radula and anatomy) of the species mark this genus as simple gastropods, unassigned in the clade Caenogastropoda. Their taenioglossate radula (formula: 2+1+1+1+2) is unique among the Prosobranchia because of the sickle-shaped rachidian tooth and the thick,sinuous, sharply cusped lateral teeth. They have tentacles but lack eyes. The mantle cavity goes deep (about 2½ whorls). The long, wide ctenidium is monopectinate. The pallial gonoducts are closed. The large penis-like organ is a right-dorsal mantle process.^[1]

Species

Species within the genus Abyssochrysos include:

• Abyssochrysos bicinctus Bouchet, 1991^[2]
• † Abyssochrysos bituminifer (C. W. Cooke, 1919)
• Abyssochrysos brasilianus Bouchet, 1991^[2]
• † Abyssochrysos costatus (C. W. Cooke, 1919)
• Abyssochrysos eburneus Locard, 1897
• Abyssochrysos melanioides Tomlin, 1927
• Abyssochrysos melvilli Schepman, 1909
• Abyssochrysos xouthos Killeen & Oliver, 2000^[3]

Species brought into synonymy:

• Abyssochrysos bicinctum (Bouchet), 1991: synonym of Abyssochrysos bicinctus (Bouchet, 1991)
• Abyssochrysos brasilianum (Bouchet), 1991: synonym of Abyssochrysos brasilianus (Bouchet, 1991)
• Abyssochrysos eburneum (Locard, 1897): synonym of Abyssochrysos eburneus (Locard, 1897)
• † Abyssochrysos giganteum Kiel, K. A. Campbell, Elder & C. Little, 2008: synonym of † Ascheria gigantea (Kiel, K. A. Campbell, Elder & C. Little, 2008) (original combination)
• Abyssochrysos tomlini Barnard, 1963: synonym of Abyssochrysos melvilli (Schepman, 1909)

References

• Bouchet P. (1991). New records and new species of Abyssochrysos (Mollusca, Caenogastropoda). Journal of Natural History 25(2): 305–313

External links

• Tomlin, J. R. le B. (1927). Reports on the marine Mollusca in the collections of the South African Museum. II. Families Abyssochrysidae, Oocorythidae, Haliotidae, Tonnidae. Annals of the South African Museum 25(1): 77–83.
• Houbrick, R. S. (1979). Classification and systematic relationships of the Abyssochrysidae, a relict family of bathyal snails (Prosobranchia; Gastropoda). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology. 290: 1-21

Notes and References

1. https://repository.si.edu/handle/10088/5558 ¨Houbrick R.S. 1979. Classification and systematic relationships of the Abyssochrysidae, a relict family of bathyal snails (Prosobranchia; Gastropoda). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 290: 1-21
2. Bouchet P. (1991). "New records and new species of Abyssochrysos (Mollusca, Caenogastropoda). Journal of Natural History 25(2): 305–313. .
3. Killeen I. J. & Oliver P. G. (2000). "A new species of Abyssochrysos (Gastropoda: Loxonematoidea) from the Oman margin". Journal of Molluscan Studies 66(1): 95–98.