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Epitoniidae Berry, 1910 (1812)

Filiscala youngi

(Kilburn, 1985)

Description:

Dimensions range from 10.3 mm - 10.3 mm high and 5.9 mm wide.
Width to height ratio: 0.57:1 ~ 0.57:1

Shell: broadly acuminate; small. Exterior colour white. About 7 whorls, strongly convex; protoconch smooth, conical, missing in the holotype. Suture deep. Umbilicate: narrowly open but partly hidden by the reflexed columella. Approximately 26 - 31 costae on the body whorl. Costae are prosocline, thin, low, widely spaced which extend from the suture to the umbilicus. There is a single varix on each whorl. The varix is thickened. Costae costae with slight angles below the suture. Intercostal spaces with elevated spiral threads. Interstices with approximately 16 - 20 spiral striae per whorl. Base strongly rounded, without a basal cord. Columella reflexed. Aperture elliptical; peristome has slight ear-shaped expansion at the base.

Kilburn [1985:248] noted that Amaea youngi resembles a miniature A. martinii (Wood, 1828), but differs in having finely coronated ribs, strong subsutural spiral lirae, and no interstitial spiral striae. A. grossicingulata (de Boury, 1913) from China has coarser spiral sculpture and lacks the subsutural coronations.


Distribution:

Known only from type location, Durban, South Africa [Kilburn, 1985:248].


Habitat:

shallow water [Kilburn, 1985:248].


Etymology:

A stated by th eauthor [Kilburn, 1985: 248], The name honours the memory of the late Bernard J. Young, whose labours in sorting Durban harbour dredgings brought to light this and many other new or interesting species of Epitoniidae'.


Type Material:

Types: Holotype NM B6026/T2767, Durban Bay, shallow dredgings, leg. B. J. Young. Paratopotypes 1-3, NM B6027/T2768. [as Amaea (Filiscala) youngi Kilburn, 1985]. [Kilburn, 1985: 248]
Holotype: NM B6026/T2767 [as Amaea (Filiscala) youngi Kilburn, 1985] - Type Locality: Durban Bay, South Africa, shallow water. [Brown & Neville, 2015: 162]


SpeciesImage

Kilburn, R.N. (1985). pp: 264. Plate Amaea (Fiiiscala) youngi sp, n..

Holotype: 10,3 X 5,9 mm

Distribution

as listed in source literature

Kilburn, R.N (1985).
Species Image
Holotype: 10,3 X 5,9 mm

Synonymy:

Amaea (Filiscala) youngi Kilburn, 1985 [Kilburn, 1985: 248; Brown & Neville, 2015: 162]


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]
Kilburn, R.N. (1985). The family Epitoniidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) in southern Africa and Mozambique. Annals of the Natal Museum. 27(1). Natal Museum
Weil, A., Brown, L. & Neville, B. (1999). The Wentletrap Book. Evolver
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