| Phymorhynchus sp. (presumably Phymorhynchus major Warén & Bouchet, 2001). Family Conidae. | |
Two photos of late-stage larva, plus one early (PI) larva, showing cross-hatched spiral sculpture
See Gustafson and Lutz, 1994 for SEM of larva collected from an egg capsule at the Galápagos Rift and Lutz et al., 1986, Fig 1C,D for SEM's of larval shell on juvenile
| Size under dissecting microscope: >1mm (late-stage), 240µm (PI only) |
| Morphology: This is a large coiled larva with planktotrophic development. The sculpture of PI appears to consist of parallel spiral lines under the light microscope, although there are short axial bars on each line visible at high magnification. PII has regularly spaced diagonal axial ribs that cross to form a diamond-shaped pattern. Most individuals appear brown, as shown above. |
| Frequency: Pump EPR 1999-2000: Not collected on axis Pump EPR 2004: Not collected Trap EPR 2004-2005: Not collected |
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The larva of Phymorhynchus major is unlikely to be confused with any other species, as there are so few coiled larvae at 9°N and its sculpture is so distinctive. Laeviphitus also shows cross-hatched sculpture on PII, but in that case the lines form rectangles rather than diamonds and the spire is much flatter. It is also generally white and much smaller (400µm). |
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