Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Mollusca
- Class: Gastropoda
- Superfamily: Triphoroidea
- Family: Cerithiopsidae
- Genus: Joculator
- Species: Joculator pulvis (Laseron, 1956)
Authority
The species was originally described by Charles F. Laseron in 1956 in his work on Australian micromolluscs. The description appears in the Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland (1956) under the genus Joculator.
Description
Joculator pulvis is a minute marine gastropod (micromollusc). As with other members of the family Cerithiopsidae, the shell is elongated, high‑spired, and consists of several whorls with fine axial and spiral sculpture. Specific morphological details (e.g., shell length, coloration, aperture shape) are given in Laseron’s original diagnosis, but comprehensive redescriptions are limited in the literature.
Distribution and habitat
The species is known from marine waters off the eastern coast of Australia, particularly the Queensland region. Records are primarily based on the type locality reported by Laseron. Habitat details are consistent with other Joculator species, which inhabit subtidal zones on sandy or rubble substrates, often at depths ranging from a few meters to several tens of meters.
Ecology
No detailed ecological studies have been published for Joculator pulvis. As a small detritivorous or micro‑grazer, it is presumed to feed on microalgae or organic particles on substrate surfaces, similar to related cerithiopsids.
Conservation status
The species has not been assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Its small size and limited known range mean that population trends are not documented.
References
- Laseron, C. F. (1956). The families Rissoinidae and Cerithiopsidae (Mollusca) from the Australian coast. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland, 66, 14‑27.
- World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS). Joculator pulvis (Laseron, 1956). Accessed 2026‑06‑27. https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=XXXXXXXX
(Note: The WoRMS AphiaID is provided in the database; replace “XXXXXXXX” with the actual identifier when citing.)
