Calliostoma bullatum

Calliostoma bullatum is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Calliostomatidae.^[1]

Calliostoma bullatum Temporal range: Early Pleistocene–Present PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Vetigastropoda
Order:	Trochida
Superfamily:	Trochoidea
Family:	Calliostomatidae
Genus:	Calliostoma
Species:	C. bullatum
Binomial name
Calliostoma bullatum Philippi, 1844
Synonyms
† Trochus bullatus Philippi, 1844

Distribution

Fossil evidence indicates that this species formerly lived as far north as what is now the Mediterranean Sea, but presently it is only known from abyssal habitats off the coast of West Africa, where it largely lives among deep-water coral reefs.^[2]

Description and rediscovery

This species is notable for being described as a fossil well before live individuals were found. The species was originally described from fossil specimens from early-mid Pleistocene outcrops in southern Italy. After over a century, live individuals were found in deepwater reefs off the coast of Mauritania. This makes C. bullatum an example of a fossil Lazarus taxon.^[2]