The diversity of Scissurellidae and Anatomidae in Sub-Antarctic and Antarctic waters: preliminary results

ZELAYA D. G. Y D. GEIGER

Monterrey, USA

Congreso; 38th Annual Western Society of Malacologists – 71st annual Americal Malacological Society; 2005

Americal Malacological Society - Western Society of Malacologists

Scissurella and Anatoma are two genera of worldwide distribution classified in Mollusca, Vetigastropoda, occurring from the intertidal to abyssal depth. Twelve nominal species of these genera were described from Sub-Antarctic and Antarctic waters: Scissurella conica d´Orbigny, 1841, S. dalli Bartsch, 1903, S. euglypta Pelseneer, 1903, S. clathrata Strebel, 1908, S. eucharista Melvill & Standen, 1912, S. timora Melvill & Standen, 1912, and objective of this study is to provide some preliminary results on the systematic revision of scissurellids and anatomids from Sub-Antarctic and Antarctic waters. This study is based on the material collected during several field trips to the Magellan Region and the Scotia Arc Islands, and museum collections. Shell and radula morphology is studied by SEM; anatomical studies are based on dissections under stereoscopic microscopy and histology. Preliminary results suggest the presence of several synonymies and erroneous application of generic names, originated in the inadequacy of old observational techniques (most of species were described only from stereoscopic microscope observations) or the poor condition of the studied materials (masking for example the protoconch morphology).