Amaea

Shells white, yellow-brown or dark brown; whorls joined, suture is generally very deeply impressed; protoconch smooth; axial sculpture strong or weak, usually forming rectangles within which are extremely fine threads; sculpture below basal ridge similar to that above. Aperture circular, with thin to moderately thick lip.
While the presence of a basal cord is usually regarded as characteristic of Amaea, it is often little more than a strengthened spiral ridge, and is absent in some species.
Presence of occasional varices in the axial lamellae is a common characteristic of the Amaea, however, this is not agreed upon by all authors [Kilburn, 1985].
May appear similar to Cirsotrema, however, Amaea has a rather thin and elongated shell, while Cirsotrema has a thick and elongated-to-conical shell.
Most specimens inhabit moderately deep water.

Genotype:

Genotype, Scalaria magnifica Sowerby, subsequent designation de Boury 1909.

Literature cited:

Brown, L. & Neville, B.D. (2015). Catalog of the recent taxa of the families Epitoniidae and Nystiellidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) with a bibliography of the descriptive and systematic literature. Zootaxa. 3907(1). pp: 001-188
Clench, W. J. & Turner, R. D. (1952). The Genera STHENORYTIS, CIRSOTREMA, ACIRSA, OPALIA and AMAEA in the Western Atlantic. Jonsonia. 2(19-32). pp: 221-355
Dushane, H. (1974). The Panamic-Galapagan Epitoniidae. The Veliger. 16 (Sup. 14). pp: 1-84
Dushane, H. (1979). The Family Epitoniidae in the Northeastern Pacific. The Veliger. 22(2). pp: 91-134
Kilburn, R.N (1985). The family Epitoniidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) in southern Africa and Mozambique. Annals of the Natal Museum. 27(1). pp: 239-337
Nakayama, T. (2003). A Review of Northwest Pacific Epitoniids. Monographs of Marine Mollusca. 6. pp: 50