Alvania sculptilis (Monterosato 1877)

Alvania sculptilis is a species of minute sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk or micromollusk in the family Rissoidae.^[1]

Taxonomy

There is also the Australian marine species Alvania sculptilis (May, 1920) (synonym and basionym: Merelina sculptilis May, 1920 ),^[2] a junior secondary homonym of Alvania sculptilis (Monterosato, 1877). However, the genus Alvania as currently used has a very broad taxonomic extension, and these two species may very well end up in different genera when a robust phylogeny becomes available. For the time being, it is thus advisable to keep using the invalid name Alvania sculptilis (May, 1920) for the Australian species.^[3]

Description

Distribution

This rare species occurs in European waters (the Mediterranean Sea off Algiers) ^[4]

References

• Gofas, S.; Le Renard, J.; Bouchet, P. (2001). Mollusca, in: Costello, M.J. et al. (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels, 50: pp. 180–213