Mioawateria vivens explained

Mioawateria vivens is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Raphitomidae.[1]

Description

The length of the shell attains 12 mm. Compared to the rest of the genus, M. vivens has smaller dimensions (up to 6.4 mm vs. 8.2–9.9 mm in length), strongly shouldered whorls well above mid-whorl and absence of somewhat “crisp” axials on the sutural ramp.[2]

Distribution

This marine species occurs in the Gulf of Aden.

Etymology

Vivens is Latin for "living", alluding to the fact that the new species is morphologically so close to the Miocene-Pliocene Mioawateria personata Powell, 1942 that observers speculate that it actually represents a living offshoot of the New Zealand species.

Notes and References

  1. MolluscaBase (2019). MolluscaBase. Mioawateria vivens Morassi & Bonfitto, 2013. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=722468 on 2019-07-28
  2. Morassi . Mauro . Bonfitto . Antonio . 2013-03-08 . Three new bathyal raphitomine gastropods (Mollusca: Conoidea) from the Indo-Pacific region . Zootaxa . 3620 . 4 . 579–588 . 10.11646/zootaxa.3620.4.7 . 1175-5334.