Johania retifera from Malta
March 19, 2007
From: Constantine Mifsud
Concerning message #19675:
Dear Bill,
and here I attach an image of another similar species to "L. pruinosa" with respect to a reticulate type of external shell. This is Johania retifera. It is also a circalittoral species usually dredged from 80-100m.
Locality: Off Gnejna Bay, 80-100 metres, Malta, Mediterranean, July 1997, muddy sand with decaying dead algae.. Length: 7mm. Photographer: C. Mifsud.
Constantine Mifsud
kejdon@orbit.net.mt
Mifsud, C., 2007 (Mar 19) Johania retifera from Malta. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19685
Dear Con,
Thanks for this interesting addition. It again emphasises the work that needs to be done on these Mediterranean cephalaspids. Although Monterosato (1884) suggested the shell of this animal may be external, your photo is the first evidence I know of that it is in fact external. To my knowledge we know nothing of its internal anatomy. Monterosato (1884) created the genus Johania for Bulla vestita Philippi, 1844, based on its peculiar punctate shell pattern. This species was subsequently synonymised with Bulla retifer Forbes, 1844 but I don't know whether the date has been properly checked to see whether Forbes name should have priority.
Whatever the nomenclatural situation, we really need to know something about its anatomy. perhaps it would be better in the Scaphandridae rather than the Philinidae? Pruvot-Fol (1954) lists it under both the Scaphandridae and the Philinidae.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
