Odostomia lukisii

Jeffreys, 1859

Description (shell):
Shell is relatively broad, short cone, with cyrtoconoid spire and exceedingly flat apex. The 4-5 postlarval whorls meet at slightly incised sutures. Whorls are somewhat tumid with narrow subsutural shelf. Last whorl occupies 65-70 % of shell height. Growth lines are nearly orthocline, straight. Aperture short (occupies 40-45 % of shell height), may be a little flared at the base. Umbilical groove and umbilicus well-marked. Tooth is obvious, though not so prominent as in Odostomia eulimoides . In side view the outer lip is nearly straight and very slightly prosocline.

Size:
Up to 4 x 2 mm.

Colour:
Ivory-white with usually shiny surface.

Animal:
The animals of this species are more or less identical in form and in colouring to those of other Odostomia species.

Habitat:
They are amongst the commonest of intertidal pyramidellids and may be found amid the tubes of fairly large assemblages of Pomatoceros , on which they feed; they also occur on similar masses of Serpula and Spirorbis.

Distribution:
Extends from the Bay of Biscay to the west coast of southern (Distr. O. lukisii).

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