Shell-less gastropod from Gulf of St Lawrence, Canada

July 21, 2007
From: Patrice Goudreau

Hello,

These are photos of a specimen of soft-shell gastropod that was fished in a scallop dredge during a scientific survey. The survey was conducted in the Mingan Archipelago in the Gulf of St Lawrence in eastern Canada. If someone could give some information about this specimen I would appreciate it. The substrate was composed of sand, shell and gravel and the water temperature was about 2 degrees Celcius. There was scallops (Chlamys islandica), seastars, urchins, Gersemia rubiformis (soft coral) fixed in shells and a few other species. The specimen was put back in the water

Locality: Havre-St-Pierre, 45 metres, Quebec, Canada, Gulf of St-Lawrence, June 6th 2007, Sand and shell with about 20% of gravel. Length: about 150 mm. Photographer: Patrice Goudreau.

Thank you for your attention

Patrice Goudreau
Aquatic science technician
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Maurice Lamontagne Institute
Mont-Joli, Quebec, Canada

GoudreauP@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Goudreau, P., 2007 (Jul 21) Shell-less gastropod from Gulf of St Lawrence, Canada. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20216

Dear Patrice,

This is a gastropod snail rather than a gastropod sea slug, and belongs to the family Velutinidae (which now includes the well known family Lamellariidae). They do have a shell, but it is usually hidden beneath the skin of the mantle. In the close-up alongside you can see the eye at the base of the head tentacles which is a coenogastropod character, and the funnel-like siphon which draws water back over the gills which are hidden in the shell-covered mantle cavity situated behind the head.

I can't give you a species name but it's possibly a species of Lamellaria. A good shell book covering your region should help. Unfortunately one problem with identifying velutinids is that the books often have drawings and descriptions only of the shells which is a problem if you only have pictures of the animal.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2007 (Jul 21). Comment on Shell-less gastropod from Gulf of St Lawrence, Canada by Patrice Goudreau. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20216

Factsheet

Velutinidae - are they sea slugs?

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