Epitoniidae Berry, 1910 (1812)

Narvaliscala flindersi

(Cotton & Godfrey, 1938)

Description:

Dimensions range from 24 mm - 24 mm high and 7 mm wide.
Width to height ratio: 0.29:1 ~ 0.29:1

Shell: Elongate, acuminate; moderately small. About 16 whorls; protoconch with 1-2 whorls smooth, sharp, inconspicuous; teleoconch with 12-14 whorls rounded. Suture impressed. Imperforate. Approximately 25 costae on the body whorl. Costae are rounded ribs. There is a single varix on each whorl. The varix is roughly every whorl. Intercostal spaces with spiral striae. Interstices with approximately 6 spiral striae per whorl. Base smooth, defined by a fine basal rib. Aperture circular.

Compared with Narvaliscala dorysa Iredale, 1936, N flindersi differs in the greater height of the individual whorls, and their roundness. [Cotton & Godfrey, 1938:203], Weil et al. [1999:138] comment this species is similar to Opalia dorysa Iredale, 1936, but can be distiguised as Narvaliscala flindersi has a greater number of costae per whorl

Distribution:

off South Australia; Great Australian Bight [Cotton & Godfrey, 1938:203].

Habitat:

549 m.

Etymology:

Although not stated explicitly by the authors [Cotton & Godfrey, 1938:203], the specific epithet is most likely in honour of Matthew Flinders.

Type Material:

Cotton & Godfrey [1938:203] and Brown & Neville [2015:73] both cited the holotype as South Australian Museum D.13303. However, this catalogue number could not be located in the South Australian Museum's online collections database in 2026. The only specimen of this species located in the online collections database, D51471, is not recorded as type material [South Australian Museum, 2026: D51471].

Holotype: SM D.13303 for Narvaliscala flindersi (Cotton & Godfrey, 1938) - Type Locality: 120 miles west of Eucla, Great Australian Bight, 300 fms [= 549 m].. [Brown, L. & Neville, B.D., 2015]
Holotype: South Australian Museum D13303 [as Scala (Narvaliscala) flindersi Cotton & Godfrey, 1938] - Type Locality: 120 miles west of Eucla, Great Australian Bight, 300 fathoms [549 m]. [Cotton, B.C. & Godfrey, F.K., 1938]

SpeciesImage

Cotton, B.C. & Godfrey, F.K. (1938). Plate XVII. Fig. 7.

Fig. 7. Scala (Narvaliscala) flindersi sp. nov. (X

Distribution

as listed in source literature

Cotton, B.C. & Godfrey, F.K. (1938).

Shown in text as Scala (Narvaliscala) flindersi Cotton & Godfrey, 1938

Species Image

Plate XVII. Fig. 7.

Fig. 7. Scala (Narvaliscala) flindersi sp. nov. (X

Species Image

pp: 203.

Synonymy:

Scala (Narvaliscala) flindersi Cotton & Godfrey, 1938 [in Cotton, B.C. & Godfrey, F.K., 1938].

Source Literature:

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). Magnolia Press Auckland, New Zealand. http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3907.1.1 [Accessed 22 October 2023]
Cotton, B.C. & Godfrey, F.K. (1938). New Species of South Australian Gastropoda. Records of the South Australian Museum. 6. Published under the authority of the board of governors and edited by the museum director. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/41025870 [Accessed 3 June 2025]
Kaicher, S.D. (1981). Epitoniidae II [Pack 30]. S. D. Kaicher, St. Petersburg, Florida. http://www.femorale.com/kaicher/species.asp?f=Epitoniidae&c=125 [Accessed 8 May 2023]
South Australian Museum (2026). South Australian Museum Adelaide provider for OZCAM. Atlas of Living Australia. https://doi.org/10.15468/wz4rrh accessed via GBIF.org [Accessed 21 July 2026]
Weil, A., Brown, L. & Neville, B. (1999). The Wentletrap Book. Evolver
WoRMS Editorial Board, (2025). World Register of Marine Species. https://www.marinespecies.org [Accessed 8 November 2025]

WoRMS direct page link: Open WoRMS record