Miraldella

Miraldella is a genus of very small sea snails, pyramidellid gastropod mollusks, or micromollusks. This genus is currently placed in the subfamily Chrysallidinae of the family Odostomiidae. The genus was first described as a subgenus of Miralda A. Adams, 1863, but was later given full generic status by Schander et al. (1999).

Shell description

The original description by Bartsch (1955) states that the shells of the genus are very minute and have strong axial ribs extending from the summit to a deep peropheral sulcus, continuing as slender threads over the base. The spiral sculpture consists only of a very strong subperipheral nodulose chord.

Life habits

Little is known about the biology of the members of this genus. As is true of most members of the Pyramidellidae sensu lato, they are most likely to be ectoparasites.

Species

Species within the genus Miraldella include:

• Miraldella gordonae (Bartsch, 1955) (Type species) (as Miralda (Miraldella) gordonae)

References

• Bartsch, P. (1955). "The pyramidellid mollusks of the Plioscene deposits of North St. Petersburg, Florida". Smithsonian Michellaneous Collections 125 (2): 1–102 +19 pl.. 
• Schander, C., van Aartsen, J.J., Corgan, J. X. (1999). "Families and genera of the Pyramidelloidea (Mollusca: Gastropoda)". Bolettino Malacologico 34 (9-12): 145–166.