About Bathyacmaea lactea

The deep-sea limpet Bathyacmaea lactea is a species in the family Acmaeidae. And it is a common species associated with the dominant mussel beds in cold seeps. They can feed on bacteria and decomposing the periostracum of Bathymodiolus shells, which make deep-sea limpets different from the well-studied symbionts.

Animalia (Kingdom); Mollusca (Phylum); Gastropoda (Class); Patellogastropoda (Subclass); Lottioidea (Superfamily); Pectinodontidae (Family); Bathyacmaea (Genus); Bathyacmaea lactea (Species)

Bathyacmaea lactea S.-Q. Zhang, J.-L. Zhang & S.-P. Zhang, 2016

1. Zhang S, Zhang J, Zhang S. A new species of Bathyacmaea (Gastropoda: Pectinodontidae) from a methane seep area in the South China Sea[J]. Nautilus, 2016, 130(1): 1-4. (Zhang et al., 2016)

Shell whitish, longitudinally elongated. Shell surface with relatively smooth sculpture consisting of dense growth lines and microscopic radial threads. Apertural margin strongly chipped, forming denticle-like structure. Radular formula 0-1-0-1-0. Lateral teeth trifurcated, with straight, stout shaft. All three cusps out¬ wardly bent; innermost and middle cups sickle-shaped and subequal in size, outermost one smallest, with acute tip

Latin lactea, meaning milky white, a reference to die shell color of the new species

A methane seep area at 22°07' N, 119° 18' E, in 1132.5 m depth. South China Sea