Gibberula baisrei

Gibberula baisrei is a species of minute sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc belonging to the family Cystiscidae. Like other members of its family, it is characterized by its small size and often glossy, smooth shell.

Taxonomy

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Mollusca
• Class: Gastropoda
• Order: Neogastropoda
• Superfamily: Volutoidea
• Family: Cystiscidae
• Genus: Gibberula
• Species: G. baisrei

Description

Gibberula baisrei possesses a small, typically ovate to elliptical shell, characteristic of the genus Gibberula. The shell is usually smooth and polished, often exhibiting a glossy appearance. Specific morphological features, such as shell proportions, the shape of the aperture, and the presence or absence of columellar folds, are used by malacologists to distinguish G. baisrei from other species within the genus. These snails typically reach only a few millimeters in length.

Distribution

This species is known to occur in the Indo-Pacific region. Its type locality, the specific geographic location from which the specimen used for the original scientific description was collected, is Panglao, Bohol, located in the Philippines.

Habitat

As a marine gastropod, Gibberula baisrei inhabits benthic environments. It is likely found on or within various substrates such as sand or mud, in shallow to moderate depths, a common habitat for many species within the family Cystiscidae.

Discovery

Gibberula baisrei was formally described as a new species by the Italian malacologist Luigi Bozzetti in 2007.