Cystiscus pardus

Cystiscus pardus is a species of very small sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk or micromollusk from the family Cystiscidae.^[2]

Cystiscus pardus
Shell of Cystiscus pardus (holotype at MNHN, Paris)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Neogastropoda
Family:	Cystiscidae
Subfamily:	Cystiscinae
Genus:	Cystiscus
Species:	C. pardus
Binomial name
Cystiscus pardus Boyer, 2003[1]

Description

The shell of C. pardus is translucent, and white. The shells have been observed to grow up to 1.55 mm long and 1 mm wide. They can be identified by their flat spire, smooth inner shell lip, and three ridged plaits on their columellar fold.^[3]

The snail C. pardus has a bifurcated head and red eyes.^[4] The snail's foot has a cloudy patten of yellow and white. Its mantle is yellow with densely packed blue leopard spots which can be seen through the shell.

Distribution

This species occurs in marine reefs off the north west coast of New Caledonia. It has been observed at two stations near the coast of Kuomac.^[5] It lives from depths between 15 and 20 m.