Hi all,
 
I am currently working on "Lower Heterobranch" gastropods. This group
includes several families of snails, such as architectonicids,
mathildids, valvatids, and pyramidellids, among many others. My
research focus primarily on the latter. I am studying diverse aspects
of the shell, anatomy and functional morphology of pyramidellids, as
well as on the phylogenetic relationships of some of their genera.
As many of you already know, these critters are usually very small (1
- 2 mm in shell length) and live mostly associated to other
invertebrates, such as other snails and bivalves. For these reasons,
it is sometimes easier to find them when looking for larger mollusks.
 
Here are some of the many possible examples where most of these small
guys like to hang around:
 
1- I have found them on the hairy periostracum of the bivalve Arca,
close or on the aperture were the bissus is located (barbs). Removal
has to
be done using a tiny brush, a needle or very carefully, using
forceps. Shaking the bivalve in water seldom works, because
pyramidellids attach themselves to the substrate (the shell) using a
very strong but short mucus thread.
 
2- Samples have been found also between the hairy periostracum of
Cymatium and other ranellids. They can be positioned anywhere on the
shell, and without careful inspection, they look like a grain of
sand.
 
3- On Thaidids, these guys seem to like to be close to the posterior
(anal) canal, on the external side of the shell.
 
Larger pyramidellids, such as Pyramidella, can be found on seagrass
beds, and sometimes in clearer coralline-sand bottoms, close to
seagrass
beds and/or corals.
 
I would really appreciate if some of you conchers ("konkers"), that
have the chance to visit so many diverse places for collecting, would
like to send me some preserved pyramidellids (if you happen to find
them). I could cover mail expenses. Essentially, when I say preserved
I refer to putting the animal in absolute alcohol (ethanol). If some
samples could be preserved in formaline (1 part of formaline and 9
parts of sea water) it would be great, specially if the sample
belongs to the genus Pyramidella, one of my favorites.
 
I appreciate your time on this matter.
 
Cheers,
 
Roberto
 
 
  Roberto Cipriani
  ----------------------------------------------------------------
  University of Chicago
  Committee on Evolutionary Biology, Dept. of Geophysical Sciences
  5734 S. Ellis Ave., H.Hinds Labs., Chicago, Illinois 60637
  Voice (773) 955-4040, ext.51170; 702-4697
  Fax (773) 702-9505; 702-4699
 
  Field Museum
  Department of Zoology, Division of Invertebrates
  Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive
  Chicago, Illinois 60605
  Voice (312) 922-9410, exts.431,273
  Fax (312) 663-5397