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Before following the key, look here for an explanation of
1. Pteropod or heteropod?
Pteropod Heliconoides inflatus
Small spiral shell coiling to the left (sinistral). Body cannot fully retract into shell
Heteropod Atlanta selvagensis
Small spiral shell (up to 14 mm), laterally compressed and coiling to the right (dextral). Body can fully retract into shell
2. Which genus?
Atlantidae anchor a
Shell and keel of aragonite (calcareous)
Shell of aragonite (calcareous) and keel of conchiolin (flexible, very transparent). Keel often missing. Spire consisting of up to 3.25 whorls
Small, almost spherical and highly striated (zigzag spiral rows) juvenile shell of aragonite (calcareous). Enclosed in adult whorl of conchiolin and conchiolin keel in adult form. Overall shell shape spherical and involute.
Protatlanta anchor a
Spire has a light brown colour and 2-3 fine spiral lines. Restricted to the Atlantic Ocean.
Spire has no ornamentation.
Atlanta
Spire tall tilted
Large eyes, wide umbilicus. Spire is not strongly tilted.
Umbilicus narrow. Spire strongly tilted, sutures very shallow.
Tubercules scattered on spire surface.
Tubercules in rows on spire surface.
Agib and Amet
Ainc and Atok
Spire not strongly tilted
High clearly ornamented
Conical orange-brown spire with clear ornamentation.
Image
in production
Spire tall, slender and turret like.
Medium spire
Medium ornamented
Medium no ornament
Highly ornamented spire with 4 to 4¼ whorls, sometimes tilted and a red-brown colour.
Moderately ornamented spire with 3½ whorls. Red colour keel base and sutures.
Small, 3 mm max. 3¼ to 3½ whorls in spire. Keel base yellow.
Large up to 12 mm. 3½ to 3¾ whorls in spire. Keel yellow-brown. No ornamentation.
First and second whorls ornamented with elevated fringes. 4¼ to 4½ whorls in spire.
Thin shell wall. Tall keel that separates final whorls, large eyes and violet sutures.
Low spire
Low ornamentation
Spire ornamented with numerous prominent spiral lines. 4½ to 4¾ whorls. Eyes type C.
Spire ornamented with numerous, interrupted spiral lines. 3½ to 3¾ whorls. Eyes type A.
Atlantic Ocean.
Pacific and Indian oceans.
Low no ornament
2.5 whorls
3.5 whorls
Spire sutures shallow giving spire a globular appearance.
Spire sutures deep.
Spire surface covered with numerous low projections. Only found between 37-48°S
Only found off the west coast of America.
Spire sutures shallow giving spire a globular appearance.
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