Polymesoda erosa (Solander, 1786)
Common geloina
photo by Coltro, Marcus

Family:  Cyrenidae ()
Max. size:  10.5 cm SHL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthic; brackish; marine
Distribution:  Indo-West Pacific: from India to Vanuatu; north to southern islands of Japan, and south to Queensland and New Caledonia.
Diagnosis:   
Biology:  Widely collected as food in Asia (Ref. 348). Found in intertidal areas in mangrove mud (Ref. 75831, 85174). Also in fresh and brackish waters of mangrove swamps, estuaries, and larger rivers. Highly tolerant to surface desiccation of its habitat; can survive by aerial respiration at the posterior mantle margin for a period of a few days, and feed from subterranean water by means of water exchange through a narrow anterior gape of valves (Ref. 345).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. 123251)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:   
 

Source and more info: www.sealifebase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.