The Eggs and Larvæ of some British Turridæ

Abstract

In a previous paper (Lebour, 1933) the eggs and larvæ of Philbertia ( Comarmondia ) gracilis were described, showing lens-shaped sessile eggcapsules and a planktonic larva with elaborately sculptured shell and large brightly spotted velum, which remained as a veliger until it had attained several whorls and was of a large size before metamorphosis. Lens-shaped capsules are apparently typical of the group (Jeffreys, 1867, and observations at Plymouth) and finely sculptured embryonic shells with several whorls are already known in many species (Jeffreys, 1867; Cossmann, 1895; Thiele, 1929). Researches in the Plymouth plankton show that members of this family are common and are some of the largest and most conspicuous gastropod larvæ. They are therefore of considerable economic importance in the sea.