60 — Micro molluscs, Herpetopoma bellum

Two Herpetopoma bellum, Devonport,
Auckland, 30/09/15.

Herpetopoma bellum, Devonport,
Auckland, 30/09/15.

Herpetopoma bellum * is another micro mollusc (~5 mm), which is relatively common, but easily overlooked. They are found throughout New Zealand and Tasmania and like moderately exposed coastlines, where they live under rocks.

They are easily missed because usually they are covered with a layer of orange sponge (thought to be Microciona coccinea Bergquist, 1961). The shell underneath is granulated (rough with small even rows of beads) and the aperture in nacreous.

The two pictures here were taken during a spring low tide during 2015 at Devonport, Auckland.

(Hutton, 1873)