Opalia ballinensis

(E. A. Smith, 1891)

Description:

Dimensions range from 16 mm - 22 mm high and 4.25 mm - 6.13 mm wide.
Width to height ratio: 0.27:1 ~ 0.28:1

Shell: elongated, pyramidal; thin; small to moderately small. Exterior colour whitish or pale brownish, slightly shiny. About 9 whorls. Suture oblique. Imperforate: umbilicus closed. Approximately 10 costae on the body whorl. Costae are fine on early whorls with the body whorl having more irregular, stronger costae [Kaicher, 1980:EP1-2389] with occasional low varices [Weil et al., 1999:138]. Costae irregularly crenulated. Intercostal spaces moderately convex, with conspicuous oblique lines of growth. Base sculpted with thin, nearly obsolete spiral striations. Columella oblique, thickened below, somewhat diffused. Aperture small, ovate-circular, lip scarcely thickened.

Distribution:

southern Queensland and New South Wales, Australia [Brown & Neville, 2015:43]

Habitat:

presumably shallow water as dead shells occur in beach drift

Etymology:

from Ballina, NSW and -ensis [latin suffix]= originating from, in reference to the location of the initially described specimen

Type Material:

Syntypes: NHMUK 1890.12.13.54-7 for Opalia ballinensis (E. A. Smith, 1891) - Type Locality:

arsint.com (2023).

Opalia Granuliscala ballinensis
16 mm, Keppel Bay, Queensland, Australia. Aug. 1987.

Distribution

as listed in source literature

Smith, E. A. (1891b).

pp: 139.

original description

Iredale, T. (1936).

Fig. 30.

pp: 306.

Kaicher, S.D. (1980).

Card #: EP1-2389.

BMNM type collection 90.13.14.54-57

arsint.com (2023).

Opalia Granuliscala ballinensis
16 mm, Keppel Bay, Queensland, Australia. Aug. 1987.

Source Literature:

arsint.com (2023). Shells for Sale:Epitonidae. arsint.com. http://www.arsint.com/seashells_epitoniidae_opalia.html [Accessed 21 October 2023]
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]
Iredale, T. (1936). Australian molluscan notes. No. 2.. Records of the Australian Museum. 19(5). Australian Museum, Sydney. doi:10.3853/j.0067-1975.19.1936.704 [Accessed 14 September 2023]
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]
Smith, E. A. (1891b). Notes on some shells recently received by the British Museum.. Annals and Magazine of Natural History,. Series 6. 7:. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/19243063 [Accessed 23 June 2023]
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

Opalia ballinensis

(E. A. Smith, 1891)

Description:

Distribution:

southern Queensland and New South Wales, Australia [Brown & Neville, 2015:43]

Habitat:

presumably shallow water as dead shells occur in beach drift

Etymology:

from Ballina, NSW and -ensis [latin suffix]= originating from, in reference to the location of the initially described specimen

Type Material:

Syntypes: NHMUK 1890.12.13.54-7 for Opalia ballinensis (E. A. Smith, 1891) - Type Locality:

Distribution

Smith, E. A. (1891b).

pp: 139.

original description

Iredale, T. (1936).

Fig. 30.

pp: 306.

Kaicher, S.D. (1980).

Card #: EP1-2389.

BMNM type collection 90.13.14.54-57

arsint.com (2023).

Opalia Granuliscala ballinensis 16 mm, Keppel Bay, Queensland, Australia. Aug. 1987.

Source Literature:

WoRMS direct page link: Open WoRMS record

Opalia Granuliscala ballinensis
16 mm, Keppel Bay, Queensland, Australia. Aug. 1987.