Apicalia tryoni is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Eulimidae. It was first described by R. Tate and W. L. May in 1900 under the name Eulima tryoni and later assigned to the genus Apicalia【2†L151-L159】.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Mollusca
- Class: Gastropoda
- Subclass: Caenogastropoda
- Order: Littorinimorpha
- Superfamily: Vanikoroidea
- Family: Eulimidae
- Genus: Apicalia
- Species: A. tryoni
- Binomial name: Apicalia tryoni (Tate & May, 1900)
- Synonyms: Eulima tryoni Tate & May, 1900
Description
Apicalia tryoni is a small marine snail, with a typical shell length of about 3 mm. Like other eulimid snails, its shell is slender and elongated, though detailed morphological descriptions are limited in the available literature.
Distribution and Habitat
The species is endemic to Australia, occurring in marine waters off:
- Tasmania
- Victoria
- Western Australia
It inhabits subtidal zones and is known to live as an internal parasite of echinoderms (e.g., sea urchins)【4†L1-L4】.
Ecology
Members of the family Eulimidae are often ectoparasitic or endoparasitic on echinoderms. A. tryoni follows this pattern, associating with host organisms in its subtidal environment, though specific host species have not been extensively documented.
References
- World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) – Apicalia tryoni entry, accessed 2025.
- Tate, R.; May, W. L. (1900). Descriptions of new genera and species of Australian Mollusca (chiefly Tasmanian). Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia, 24(2): 90‑103.
- Cotton, B. C. (1959). South Australian Mollusca. Archaeogastropoda. Handbook of the Flora and Fauna of South Australia.
- Grove, S. (2011). The Seashells of Tasmania: A Comprehensive Guide. Taroona Publications.
This entry summarizes currently available, verifiable information on Apicalia tryoni from taxonomic databases and scientific literature.
