Halgerda tessellata (Bergh, 1880)

About 25 specimens of Halgerda tessellata have been found at Enewetak and Kwajalein Atolls. It typically lives under dead coral on lagoon pinnacles, although a couple of specimens have been found on the seaward reef under rocks in surge channels. Most have been at depths of 9 to 15 meters, and ten individuals ranged in length from 8 to 17mm. An egg mass deposited in captivity contained orange yellow ova measuring about 190µm individually within capsules about 240µm in diameter. There were about 50 ova/mm squared and 4000 in the three loose whorls deposited by a 15mm individual. The eggs hatched in 5 days as free swimming veligers with Type 1 clear tan shells with deep brown columellae.

The one below happened to be crawling across a bryozoan colony.

Created 12 December 2006