Atlas of Atlantic Ostracods
Taxon details
Mollicia mollis (Müller, G.W., 1906)
- Order:
- MYODOCOPA
- Suborder:
- Halocypridina
- Family:
- Halocyprididae
- Subfamily:
- Conchoecinae
- Size range (females):
- 3.1-3.6 mm
- Size range (males):
- 2.8-3.0 mm
- Depth:
- bathypelagic
Notes
108 records
This is the type species for the genus was first described as a Conchoecia species in Müller’s ‘mollis group’. This group was reclassified as a new genus Mollicia by Poulsen (1973). Females are difficult to distinguish from M. kampta, and have frequently been confused, despite being slightly larger. They still have not been described sufficiently well for non-specialists to distinguish them. The map shows its latitudinal range to be 47°N to 35°S, but all the records from the Mediterranean and from north of 20°N in the Northeast Atlantic were by Granata and Caporiacco (1949). It seems highly likely that all these records are of misidentified females of M. kampta. Along the 20°W Discovery transect it was absent north of 18°N, but largely replaced M. kampta at 18°N 25°W. This change over was possibly associated with the presence of Antarctic Intermediate Water. At the southern end of its range it is replaced by amblypostha. It has been reported from the western Indian Ocean, but its presence there needs to be confirmed. The bathymetric profiles show that it ranges from 400-800m and in the subtropical North Atlantic it coincides with the presence of Atlantic Intermediate Water.
| All | n | Mean mm | s.d. | Range mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 161 | 3.26 | 0.090 | 3.04-3.60 |
| Male | 48 | 2.90 | 0.062 | 2.78-3.08 |
| A-1 | 143 | 2.18 | 0.077 | 2.04-2.38 |
| A-2 | 58 | 1.48 | 0.042 | 1.40-1.58 |
| A-3 | 30 | 1.01 | 0.038 | 0.90-1.08 |
| A-4 | 22 | 0.73 | 0.017 | 0.70-0.76 |
