Aclyvolva lanceolata (Sowerby, 1848)
Lance ovulid, 17mm
This
species is found on the steep seaward reef slopes, always on these red whip-like
gorgonians, which could be a species of Ellisella or Ctenocella.
They are hard to spot on the gorgonian, but if you spot one, there will usually
be others on surrounding gorgonain colonies; we typically see only one per colony.
Some ovulid experts think this may be a different, as yet undescribed species,
but more work is needed on it and its close relatives to be certain.
The next few shots show a bare patch
of gorgonian skeleton where the ovulid has been grazing.
The specimen in the two photos
below was one of two found on 12 April 2010 on Ellisella gorgonians
on the Kwajalein Atoll seaward reef at a depth of about 40m. The papillae, especially
those around the anterior end, look a bit different from the earlier specimens,
but it is probably just a variation.
Created
22 September 2008
Updated 23 March 2020
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