Collected from the west coast of India (Arabian sea), this intertidal columbellid Pyrene sp ????? looks close to Pyrene flava and P. punctata. Still, closer observation on the shell shows
brownish shell darkening at the whorls with almost rectangular white markings that alternate in position; white apex in almost all shells but dark brown in fresh shells; pale lines run vertical in the last whorl with characteristic 10 horizontal spiral ribs; columella is smooth; outer lip in aperture contains 7 folds or plicae; inner side purplish in colouration.
Shell height 28mm; width 11mm; aperture height 18mm; aperture width 3mm
Would be informative if someone could identify and share materials related to this species
Thanks
Dear Deepak,
I share Dekker's opinion. This complex group have a lot of synonymies. It looks like a Pyrene flava, a common Indo-Pacific columbellid. But I don't have any available source to confirms this. Try to get the references posted in www.marinespeces.org for this species. I think it's possible a free download of these sources. I hope this will help you.
Best regards
Fábio
Thanks a lot Dr Henk and Dr Fabio for your inputs and information!
best regards
Deepak
It seems a typical Pyrene flava (Bruguière, 1789). Although the species is very variable I'm not aware of any revisions that spread it.
Thanks Dr Doneddu for your confirmation!! If you come across any publications regarding this, please do share..
with best regards
Deepak
I would also call it P. flava. Certain characters on them are actually pretty reliable - though this is a worn one. These have a straight sided spire, whereas P. punctata has a convex spire profile. The subsutural cord is also weaker in this species than in P. punctata, and the aperture is usually stained pink whereas P. punctata is typically stained purple. P. obtusa is also similar but tends to have a white aperture and a pronounced subsutural cord. There's undoubtedly variations on these, but in general these characters and a few others usually work for the genus.
Dear all,
just found out from the latest Book of Indian Shells by Deepak Apte that the same species has been identified by him as P. splendidula. ?????
page 117, plate 19, Fig.2 - Sea shells of India - An illustrated guide to common gastropods - Deepak Apte . Oxford University Press, copyright BNHS - India, 2014. ISBN 9780199458073.
Can someone please throw light on this????
regards
Deepak
Dear Deepak
I think it's a Pyrene flava. This photo does not match P. splendidula, taking into account some photos that I had observed before.
Best regards
Fábio
Pyrene splendidula is also similar, relative to P. flava it differs by having a convex spire profile and the aperture is white. The aperture of P. flava is pink and the spire straight-sided.
Dr Fabio & Dr Marta
thanks so much for your time and inputs. I wish I could carry out molecular studies as Dr Henk mentioned earlier.
Cheers
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