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Epitoniidae Berry, 1910 (1812)

Cirsotrema zelebori

(Dunker, 1866)

Description:

Dimensions range from 17.15 mm - 31.1 mm high and 6.4 mm - 11.07 mm wide.
Width to height ratio: 0.37:1 ~ 0.36:1

Shell: pyramidal, tapering, turreted; somewhat solid; small to moderately small. Exterior colour white, but may show purple colouring in fresh specimens. About 12 whorls, increasing slowly and regularly, rounded, very convex; teleoconch with 9-12 whorls rounded, the last whorl marked with a distinct spiral rib. Suture very deep. Imperforate. Approximately 10 - 15 costae on the body whorl. Costae are numerous, rather thick, erect, notched. Costae somewhat angled near the suture; slightly reflexed. Intercostal spaces distinctly corded, beaded where they cross the costae. Interstices with approximately 6 spiral striae per whorl. Base with a strong basal ridge. Aperture nearly round, oval. Operculum round, black.


Distribution:

New Zealand [Dunker & Zelebor, 1866:912]; Kaicher [1980:EP1-2376] cites southeastern Australia as part of the range; however, the species is not listed in Wilson [1993]. Verco [1908:145] records a single specimen from Encounter Bay, South Australia, but considered that the species probably does not occur there, noting that no other collector had taken it and that it had not been found in Tasmania or Victoria.


Habitat:

shallow water to about 100 fms (183 m) [Powell 1979: 252].


Etymology:

named for Joh. Zelebor [Brown & Neville, 2015: 162].


SpeciesImage

Murrell, T. (2025).

Orewa, New Zealand. Beach collected.

Distribution

as listed in source literature

Type Material:

The following list brings together type material and other cited specimens as reported in the sources examined, grouped under the names and designations used in each source. The same specimen may appear in multiple entries drawn from different sources. Some entries concern other species included by authors for comparison; inclusion in this list does not imply synonymy.
Cirsotrema zelebori (Dunker, 1866)Type not located'Nova- Seelandia', [Brown & Neville, 2015: 162].
Scalaria reevei Clessin, 1897Type lost [possibly]SMNS. 'Auskland, Neuseeland' = Auckland, New Zealand. [Brown & Neville, 2015: 130].


Dunker, Dr. & Zelebor, J. (1866).
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pp: 912-913.
Original Description
Translation: Scalaria Zelebori Dkr.
Shell pyramidal, tapering, imperforate, white; whorls about 10, rounded, transversely obsoletely and faintly grooved, separated by a deep suture, adorned with numerous, rather thick, erect, slightly recurved, undulately notched varices, somewhat angled near the suture; the last whorl marked with a distinct spiral rib; aperture nearly round.
Tryon, G.W. (1887).
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Plate 15. Fig. 75.
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pp: 78.
Clessin, S. (1897).
Shown in text as Scalaria reevei Clessin, 1897
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Plate 15. Fig. 9.
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pp: 63.
Shell pyramidal, imperforate, white, solid, with spiral striations; whorls 10, rounded, separated by a very deep suture; varices thick, numerous, granulated; aperture somewhat ovate.
Clessin, S. (1897).
Shown in text as Scalaria zelebori Dunker, 1866
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Plate 13. Fig. 5.
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pp: 50.
Verco, J.C. (1906).
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pp: 145. Plate Scala zelebori, Dunker.
Scala zelebori, Dunker
Boury, E. de. (1913).
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Plate VIII. Fig. 2.
Kaicher, S.D. (1980).
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Card #: EP1-2376.
Murrell (2025).
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Orewa, New Zealand. Beach collected.
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Synonymy:

Scalaria reevei Clessin, 1897 [Brown & Neville, 2015: 130; Clessin, 1897: 63]
Scalaria zelebori Dunker, 1866 [Clessin, 1897: 50]


Source Literature:

Boury, E. de (1913a). Description de Scalidae Nouveaux ou Peu Connus Pt 3. Journal of Conchology. 60(3). https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/55204 [Accessed 4 July 2025]
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]
Clessin, S. (1897). Die Familie der Scalariidae. In W. Kobelt (Ed.), Systematisches Conchylien-Cabinet von Martini und Chemnitz. Neu herausgegeben und vervollständigt. 2(13). Bauer & Raspe, NürnbergBauer & Raspe, Nürnberg. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/34259905 [Accessed 21 June 2025]
Dunker, Dr. & Zelebor, J. (1866). Bericht uber von der Novara-Epedition mitgebrachetn Mollusken. Zoologisch-Botanische Gesellschaft in Wien. & Kaiserlich-Königliche Zoologisch-Botanische Gesellschaft in Wien.. 16. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/26724143 [Accessed 10 June 2025]
Kaicher, S.D. (1980). Epitoniidae I [Pack 23]. S. D. Kaicher, St. Petersburg, Florida. http://www.femorale.com/kaicher/species.asp?f=Epitoniidae&c=125 [Accessed 8 May 2023]
Murrell, T. (2025). Personal Collection
Powell, A. W. B. (1979). New Zealand Mollusca: Marine, Land and Freshwater Shells. Collins, Auckland
Tryon, G.W. (1887). Manual of conchology, structural and systematic with illustrations of the species. IX. Academy of Natural Sciences. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11026889 [Accessed 20 September 2025]
Verco, J.C. (1906). Notes on South Australian marine Mollusca, with descriptions of new species. Part IV.. Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of South Australia. 30 Pt 4. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/16124267 [Accessed 19 June 2023]
Weil, A., Brown, L. & Neville, B. (1999). The Wentletrap Book. Evolver
Wilson, B.R. (1993). Australian Marine Shells. Australian Marine Shells. Vol.1. Odessey Publications
WoRMS Editorial Board (2025). World Register of Marine Species. https://www.marinespecies.org at VLIZ. [Accessed 8 November 2025]

WoRMS direct page link: Open WoRMS record