Nerita chamaeleon Linnaeus, 1758

Mustapha, Nurshahida, Baharuddin, Nursalwa, Tan, Siong Kiat & Marshall, David J., 2021, The neritid snails of Brunei Darussalam: their geographical, ecological and conservation significance, Ecologica Montenegrina 42, pp. 45-61 : 48

Nerita chamaeleon Linnaeus, 1758

Figs. 2C–D and 4E

Nerita chamaeleon Linnaeus, 1758: 779 .

Nerita chamaeleon – Tan & Clements, 2008: 485, figs. 2-5, 2-6.

Nerita (Argonerita) chamaeleon – Eichhorst, 2016a: 458, pl. 114.

Material. UBDM.7.00030. Sample was collected from PP.

Abundance. Very abundant.

Habitat. Rocky shore. Low to high shore. Associated with breakwaters, seawalls and natural rocky shore.

Local distribution. MC, PJ, ES, PP, PT and UB.

Ecology and conservation. Common inhabitant of rocky shores for both natural rocks (ES and PP) and artificial seawalls (MC, PJ, PT and UB), though occurring in much greater numbers on the former ( Marshall et al. 2017). Very likely to rapidly re-establish populations after degradation of local habitats. Compared to natural rocky shores, N. chamaeleon is heavily predated on in artificial rocky shores based on shell scars suspected of attacks from common shore crab. N. chamaeleon is of lowest conservation concern in Brunei because of its ability to rapidly colonise and establish large populations, and especially its tolerance to mudinundated rock surfaces.

Biogeographical distribution. In Western Coral Triangle at SB, HI, BY, SR and BK and Sunda Shelf at TR, JH, SW and SG. Generally distributed in Indo-West Pacific ( Frey 2010b).

Figures

Figure 2. Neritidae species found associated with lower estuarine, mangroves and rocky shores of Brunei Darussalam, shown in apertural and abapertural view. A–B. Nerita albicilla Linnaeus, 1758. C–D. Nerita chamaeleon Linnaeus, 1758. E–F. *Nerita patula Récluz, 1841. G–H. *Nerita insculpta Récluz, 1841. I–J. Nerita litterata Gmelin, 1791. K– L. Nerita undata Linnaeus, 1758. M–N. Nerita balteata Reeve, 1855. O–P. Nerita planospira Anton, 1838. Q–R. *Nerita exuvia Linnaeus, 1758. S-T. *Nerita histrio Linnaeus, 1758. (*) indicates a new species record for Brunei Darussalam. Scale bar represents 3 mm.

Figure 4. Side view showing off spire plasticity amongst Nerita species found in Brunei Darussalam. A. Nerita albicilla Linnaeus, 1758. B. Nerita litterata Gmelin, 1791. C. Nerita insculpta Récluz, 1841. D. Nerita patula Récluz, 1841. E. Nerita chamaeleon Linnaeus, 1758. F. Nerita undata Linnaeus, 1758. G. Nerita balteata Reeve, 1855. H. Nerita planospira Anton, 1838. I. Neripteron violaceum (Gmelin, 1791). J. Neripteron cornucopia (Benson, 1836). K. Vittina coromandeliana (G. B. Sowerby I, 1836). L. Neritodryas dubia (Gmelin, 1791). M. Clithon oualaniense (Lesson, 1831). N. Neripteron spirale (Reeve, 1855). O. Nerita histrio Linnaeus, 1758. P. Nerita exuvia Linnaeus, 1758. Markings on I and J: the spire hangs further midway in N. cornucopia compared to N. violaceum. Scale bar on top represents 3 mm, unless stated otherwise.