Gigantopelta aegis
Aggregation of Gigantopelta aegis with other animals, such as scaly-foot gastropods (black snails).
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Mollusca
Class:
Gastropoda
(unranked):
clade Vetigastropoda
Superfamily:
Neomphaloidea
Family:
Peltospiridae
Genus:
Gigantopelta
Species:
G. aegis
Binomial name
Gigantopelta aegis
Chen, Linse, Roterman, Copley & Rogers, 2015[1]

Gigantopelta aegis is a species of deep sea snail from hydrothermal vents, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Peltospiridae.[1]

Taxonomy

It was described as a new species within new genus Gigantopelta in 2015 and it was classified within the family Peltospiridae.[1]

Distribution

This species is known from its type locality only: Longqi hydrothermal vent field in Southwest Indian Ridge, 37°47.03′S 49°38.96′E / 37.78383°S 49.64933°E / -37.78383; 49.64933.[1]

Description

The width of the shell is 4.84–44.83 mm.[1] Valeues of δ13C were −26.42‰ ± 0.67.[2] A distinguishing factor of the Gigantopelta aegis is their large size, hence the name, which translates to “gigantic shield” in Latin.[3] While other peltospirids reach shell diameter sizes of 15mm on average, the Gigantopelta aegis can grow up to 45.7 mm.[3] The shell is also thickly coated with a layer of sulphide. However, this is typical of other vent-dwelling gastropods. Another distinguishing factor for the Gigantopelta species is that sexual dimorphism is not exhibited, as seen in other peltopsirids.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Chen C., Linse K., Roterman C. N., Copley J. T. & Rogers A. D. (2015). "A new genus of large hydrothermal vent‐endemic gastropod (Neomphalina: Peltospiridae)". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 175(2), 319-335. doi:10.1111/zoj.12279.
  2. ↑ Copley, J. T.; Marsh, L.; Glover, A. G.; Hühnerbach, V.; Nye, V. E.; Reid, W. D. K.; Sweeting, C. J.; Wigham, B. D.; Wiklund, H. (2016). "Ecology and biogeography of megafauna and macrofauna at the first known deep-sea hydrothermal vents on the ultraslow-spreading Southwest Indian Ridge". Scientific Reports. 6: 39158. doi:10.1038/srep39158. ISSN 2045-2322. PMC 5155287. PMID 27966649.
  3. 1 2 3 Chen, Chong; Linse, Katrin; Roterman, Christopher N.; Copley, Jonathan T.; Rogers, Alex D. (October 2015). "A new genus of large hydrothermal vent-endemic gastropod (Neomphalina: Peltospiridae): A New Genus of Vent-Endemic Gastropod". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 175 (2): 319–335. doi:10.1111/zoj.12279.


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