Ophryodendridae on shells of gastropod mollusc Crisilla semistriata (Ciliophora)

Numerous live specimens of the gastropod mollusc Crisilla semistriata, a spire shell, were found with this suctorian ciliate attached to their shells. The specimens were found at Albert Pier reef, Penzance, Cornwall, 08.05.20.

Suctorian ciliate
Family Ophryodendridae
- on Crisilla semistriata 3

A number of Crisilla semistriata, were found with this suctorian ciliate attached to their shells at Battery Rocks, Penzance, Cornwall, 04.06.20.

It is probably worth pointing out that the species here appears similar or the same as a species described as Ophryodendron porcellanum in 'A Manual of the Infusoria' by W. Saville Kent, vol ii, p. 852. 1881-1882. The species is described as "with "a basal cushion-like body" and "Hab.-Salt water: Jersey (S.K.), on the limbs of the flat-crab, Porcellana platycheles". Its figure, in vol. iii, plates, plate XLVIIIa, fig. 22, is shown and is described as having "a zooid bearing both a proboscidiform and vermiform addendage".

It is clear that the species described by Kent is extremely similar in form to what was found on the gastropod mollusc Crisia semistriata at Albert Pier reef, Penzance, Cornwall. Is it pure co-incidence that Ophryodendron porcellanum on limbs of Porcellana platycheles shares exactly the same habitat as Crisia semistriata, both are very commonly found intertidally on the lowershore underneath rocks. The question now is does this species occur on both Porcellana platycheles, Crisia semistriata and other species in intertidal habitats and does it need to be redescribed. It certainly needs to be investigated further and it is likely this species has been overlooked because of its size.

Kent's 'A Manual of Infusoria' aside, here I must thank an expert with many year of experience in this field, Igor Dovgal of the A.O. Kovalevsky Institute of Biology, for pointing out the current family of this species. He could not be certain of the genus or species because there is no clear evidence of what the base of the species looks like, but it was observed to being cushion-like.

Ophryodendron porcellanum is now Corethria porcellanum (Kent, 1881), it may be the same species on Crisilla as on Porcellana, it may not. Further investigations will now be conducted.

APHOTOMARINE

An educational resource dedicated mainly to the photography
and diversity of marine life that can be found in coastal waters
and intertidal areas of Great Britain and Ireland by David Fenwick.

APHOTOMARINE

An educational resource dedicated mainly to the photography and diversity of marine life that can be found in coastal waters and intertidal areas of Great Britain and Ireland by David Fenwick.

An educational resource dedicated mainly to the photography
and diversity of marine life that can be found in coastal waters
and intertidal areas of Great Britain and Ireland by David Fenwick.