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Epitoniidae Berry, 1910 (1812)

Epitonium dentiscalpium

(Watson, 1883)

Description:

Dimensions range from 4 mm - 4 mm high.
Width to height ratio: 00:1 ~ 00:1

Shell: high, narrow, conical; minute. Exterior colour porcellaneous white, costae white. About 14.5 whorls, joined; protoconch with ~4.5 whorls rounded, glossy, conical with a minute rounded tip; teleoconch with ~10 whorls. Suture rather deeply impressed. Costae are minute, sharp, very oblique. There is a single varix on each whorl. The varix is rregular intervals one of these swells to a varix. Intercostal spaces with numerous, fine and closely set spiral striae. Base with rounded striae. Aperture encircled with a strong varix; inner lip narrow, thick, continuous.


Distribution:

Near Cape York, Torres Straits, N. Australia, [Watson, 1883:607].


Habitat:

11m [6 fthms], coral-sand [Watson, 1883:607].


Etymology:

[latin] from dentiscalpium = a toothpick, in reference to the shape of the shell.


Type Material:

Holotype: Natural History Museum (London): ZOO:1887.2.9.504 [as Scalaria dentiscalpium R. B. Watson, 1883] - Type Locality: Near Cape York, North Australia, -10.6000, 141.9167. [Natural History Museum, 2014]


SpeciesImage

Tryon, G.W. (1887). Plate 18. Fig. 77.

Distribution

as listed in source literature

Watson, R.B. (1883).
Species Image
pp: 607-608.
Watson, R.B. (1886).
Species Image
Plate IX. Fig. 3.
a. The natural size.
b. The sculpture, enlarged 40 diameters .
c. The shell, enlarged.
Species Image
pp: 143-144.
Tryon, G.W. (1887).
Shown in text as Scalaria dentiscalpium R. B. Watson, 1883
Species Image
Plate 18. Fig. 77.
Species Image
pp: 82-83.

Synonymy:

Scalaria (Cirsotrema) dentiscalpium, R. B. Watson, 1883 [in Watson, R.B., 1886].
Scalaria dentiscalpium R. B. Watson, 1883 [in Natural History Museum, 2014].
Scalaria dentiscalpium R. B. Watson, 1883 [in Tryon, G.W., 1887].
Scalaria dentiscalpium R. B. Watson, 1883 [in Watson, R.B., 1883].


Source Literature:

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]
Natural History Museum (2014). Collection specimens [Data set]. Natural History Museum. https://doi.org/10.5519/0002965 [Accessed 6 April 2026]
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]
Watson, R.B. (1883). Mollusca of H.M.S. 'Challenger' Expedition.-Part XV. The Journal of the Linnean Society of London. Zoology. 16(96). Linnean Society of London. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/partpdf/377103 [Accessed 19 March 2025]
Watson, R.B. (1886). Report on the Scaphopoda and Gasteropoda collected by H.M.S. Challenger during the years 1873-76. Report on the Scientific Results of the Voyage of H.M.S. Challenger during the years 1873-76, Zoology. 15(2). https://www.19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/Zool-42/htm/doc.html [Accessed 9 July 2025]
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