Spiny Slippersnail
Bostrycapulus aculeatus
Description 2
External shell sculpture ranges from widely spaced large scale-like plicate spines to tightly packed pointed granular bumps along fine spiral ribs. Shell color ranges from overall cream with scattered brown markings to solid chocolate brown, sometimes with a pale streak. The markings are sometimes speckled, and often streaky. The anterior margin of the septum is indented medially and notched on the animal's left. A distinct but small medial ridge or crease extends from medial indentation to posterior shell margin. The small lunar muscle scar on the animal's right side anterior to the shelf is often more deeply indented than in other, related species. The shell is distinctly coiled with about one single whorl after the protoconch-teleoconch boundary. The apex is appressed, usually occurs slightly above the posterior shell margin on the right, and is not excavated. Maximum shell length, 3.2 cm. The head, neck, foot and mantle are cream but there is matt black marbled pigmentation along the edge of the foot. Large yellow or orange pigment splotches are scattered along the neck lappets and concentrated on the lips and tentacles. Black pigment also occurs on the dorsal side of the head and neck. The intensity of all pigmentation varies and some animals have almost no black pigment.
Distribution 3
The known distribution of this species includes the east and west coasts of Florida, the Florida Keys, Yucatan, and the Bahamas. Shells with a similar morphology have been found from as far north as North Carolina and probably also belong to this species.
Look alikes 4
In Florida, There are no other slipper limpets with spiny shells and so much shell coiling; thus, C. aculeata is unlikely to be confused with any other species in Florida.
Reproduction 5
All members of the family are protandric hermaphrodites: small, young animals are males that later change to females as they grow. All species copulate. Females are able to store sperm for several months. The females deposit eggs into transparent capsules that they brood between the neck and the propodium. In some species, swimming larvae hatch from the capsules; in others, benthic juveniles crawl away from the capsules.
Link to Access Genetic Data 6
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?id=293995&lvl=0
Sources and Credits
- (c) Femorale, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://www.femorale.com/shellphotos/detail.asp?species=Crepidula%20aculeata%20(Gmelin,%201791)
- Adapted by matbio from a work by (c) Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/11525931
- Adapted by matbio from a work by (c) Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/11525932
- Adapted by matbio from a work by (c) Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/11525934
- Adapted by matbio from a work by (c) Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/11525935
- (c) Emily Rose Sharkey, all rights reserved
