Atys kuhnsi Pilsbry, 1917
13mm (shell)

What we are considering Atys kuhnsi is uncommonly seen in the Marshalls. The specimen in the three photos immediately below was found on the night of 30 August 2008 on an eastern lagoon slope of Kwajalein Atoll, on sand in a patch of Halimeda algae. The shell measured 13mm in length. Several more specimens were found in a Halimeda algae patch on the lagoon reef at night in July 2016. These animals are considered in Gosliner et al (2018) to be young Atys naucum. If that is the case, we have seen no adult A. naucum here, and it seems that the animal coloration of the two forms is sufficiently different to warrant keeping them separate for now. (See Atys naucum from the Philippines.)

It is likely that the Atys below is the same species before development of the axial streaks of brown. The specimen below was found at Enewetak Atoll, on a lagoon sand flat at night at a depth of about 8 meters. The shell measured 13mm.

Those below were the ones from August 2016.

With a gelatinous, bubble-like egg mass at night.

The three photos below show a specimen found at night on a Kwajalein Atoll lagoon reef on 20 June 2009. It was crawling in sand near Halimeda at a depth of about 9m. Although lacking the color markings of the above specimens, we still assume these are all the same species. These too lack the distinct posterior animal coloration of typical Atys naucum.

Empty shell of the same white one in the photos immediately above.

Created 3 September 2008
Updated 18 May 2020

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