Gyroscala rupicola

(J. D. Kurtz, 1860)

Description:

Dimensions range from 7.5 mm - 25 mm high and 3.5 mm - 15 mm wide.
Width to height ratio: 0.47:1 ~ 0.6:1

Shell: pyramid-shaped, somewhat ventricose; thin; small to moderately small. Exterior colour whitish or light yellowish with two brownish, spiral bands at the suture. Very young specimens may only have a single band, costae always white or slightly tinged with brown in the banded area. About 11 whorls, globose, strongly convex; protoconch with ~2 whorls devoid of sculpture; teleoconch with 6-9 whorls increasing, the last whorl large. Spire elevated with angle of 35 - 40 degrees. Suture well defined and very deep, very minutely crenulated. Imperforate. Approximately 12 - 18 costae on the body whorl. Costae are low, narrow, widely spaced, may be variable in both number and height. There are 1 - 6 varices on each whorl. Costae do not always align with those on preceding whorls. Intercostal spaces with spiral sculpture of extremely fine striae. Base with a single thread on the edge and a stronger one, bordering the base. Columella and parietal wall are not definable as the aperture is nearly complete. Aperture subcircular, large, brown, lip margin thick, rounded; outer lip slightly reflected and moderately thickened, white. Operculum thin, corneous, yellowish in colour, paucispiral.

Distribution:

Provincetown, Massachusetts south to Florida and west to Texas [Clench & Turner, 1951]; SE, NE and S Gulf of Mexico to Columbia [Rosenberg et al., 2009:642]; Suriname [van Regteren Altena, 1975:26].

Habitat:

Intertidal -65m, seagrasses [Rosenberg et al., 2009:642].

Etymology:

[Latin] from rupes = rock, cliff + -cola = dweller, inhabitant; "rock-dweller", referring to the species being found "in the crevices of stones" [Kurtz, 1860: 7].

Kiener, L. C. & Fischer, P. (1873a). Plate 2. Fig. 5.

Distribution

as listed in source literature

Type Material:

Clench & Turner [1951: 284] considered Say's type of Scalaria lineata probably lost, noting that it was not present in the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia.

Brown & Neville [2015: 94], citing DuShane [1979b: 130], noted that Epitonium lagunarum Dall, 1917 was described from a specimen of Gyroscala rupicola (Kurtz, 1860) bearing incorrect locality data.

Brown & Neville [2015:132] record NHMUK 1919.12.31.63 as the holotype of Epitonium reynoldsi G. B. Sowerby III, 1916. The NHM online catalogue [Natural History Museum, 2014: ZOO.1919.12.31.63] records the same specimen simply as "Type".

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.

Epitonium lagunarum Dall, 1917HolotypeUSNM 253024. Laguna Beach, California, USA. USA. White Collection. [Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, 2026: USNM 253024].USNM 253024. Laguna Beach, California, USA. [DuShane, 1979b: 130].TypeUSNM 253024. 'Laguna Beach, California', USA. in error; 'Laguna Beach, California', in error. [Brown & Neville, 2015: 94].USNM 253024. Laguna Beach, California, J. J. White, USA. [Dall, 1917: 477].
Epitonium reynoldsi G.B. Sowerby III, 1916HolotypeNHMUK 1919.12.31.63. Florida, USA. [Brown & Neville, 2015: 132].TypeNHM 1919.12.31.63. Florida, USA. [Natural History Museum, 2014: NHM 1919.12.31.63].
Scala lineata Say, 1822Type lost [possibly][Clench & Turner, 1951: 284].
Scalaria lineata SayType[Clench & Turner, 1951: 284].
Scalaria lineata Say, 1822Type not locatedinhabits the southern coast [of the ], USA. [Brown & Neville, 2015: 97].
Scalaria rupicola Kurtz, 1860Type[Clench & Turner, 1951: 284].Type [location unknown][Clench & Turner, 1951: 284].Type not locatedFt, Johnson, South Carolina, USA. [Brown & Neville, 2015: 134].
Scalaria unicostata G. B. Sowerby II, 1873Type not locatedAmerica, [Brown & Neville, 2015: 156].

Sowerby, G. B. II. (1844).

Shown in text as calaria lineata Say, 1822

Plate xxxiii. Fig. 49-51.

pp: 101.

T. pyramid-shaped, somewhat ventricose, imperforate, smooth; with rounded whorls, rapidly increasing; the last whorl large, with an elevated spiral line, usually thin varices towards the lower part of the whorls; some are large, simple, numerous: aperture large; colour between varices, dark brownish-black, sometimes with two bands; or pale fawn with a red band.

Kurtz, J. D. (1860).

Shown in text as Scalaria rupicola Kurtz, 1860

pp: 7.

Sowerby, G. B. II. (1873).

Shown in text as Scalaria lineata Say, 1822

Plate viii. Fig. 56.

Shell solid, pyramidal, purple-brown between the varices, spire elevated, whorls seven, with a spiral ridge below oblique, varices white, numerous, simple, rounded, oblique;
aperture rather large, brown.

Sowerby, G. B. II. (1873).

Shown in text as Scalaria unicostata G. B. Sowerby II, 1873

Plate viii. Fig. 55.

Shell small, pyramidal, fulvous, with a spiral ridge below, last whorl with two brown bands; varices, one on each whorl following, suture very minutely crenulated; aperture small, rounded, margin thick, rounded.

Kiener, L. C., & Fischer, P (1873a).

Shown in text as Scalaria lineata Say, 1822

Plate 2. Fig. 5.

pp: 6.

Shell small, oval-conical, thin, slightly umbilicated, white, with two or three tawny bands; whorls convex; longitudinal ribs very thin and very numerous; the outer lip with the edge slightly reflexed.

Thin, small, oval-conical shell, pointed at the apex, composed of seven to eight slightly flattened whorls, the last one much more convex than the others.
All are covered with very fine lamellar ribs, often appearing to overlap like tiles.
The suture is somewhat channeled. The aperture is fairly large and slightly bordered.
The last whorl shows a small umbilical slit at the base.
This shell is usually white, marked on each whorl with two to three transverse bands of fawn color, darker or lighter.
Length: 8 lignes (approx. 17.6 mm)
Habitat: Atlantic Ocean, seas of the United States, coasts of Boston and Philadelphia.

This very pretty little shell is entirely covered with very fine lamellae of exceptional delicacy and regularity.
Young specimens are more slender, reddish-brown, with the bands barely visible.

Tryon, G.W. (1887).

Shown in text as Scalaria lineata Say, 1822

Plate 16. Fig. 9.

Plate 16. Fig. 14.

pp: 79.

Dall, W. H. (1889).

Shown in text as Scala lineata Say, 1822

pp: 307.

Clessin, S. (1897).

Shown in text as Scalaria lineata Say, 1822

Plate 8. Fig. 8.

pp: 31.

Shell solid, pyramidal, purplish-yellow between the varices; spire elevated; whorls seven, oblique, with a single spiral ridge below; varices white, numerous, simple, rounded, oblique; aperture rather large, brown.

Clessin, S. (1897).

Shown in text as Scalaria unicostata G. B. Sowerby II, 1873

Plate 5. Fig. 3.

pp: 19.

Shell small, pyramidal, yellowish, with a single spiral ridge below; the last whorl with two brown bands; one varix per whorl, with the following whorl separated by a minutely crenulated suture; aperture small, round, with a thick, rounded margin.

Dall, W. H. (1917).

Shown in text as Epitonium lagunarum Dall, 1917

pp: 477.

Clench, W. J. & Turner, R. D. (1951).

Shown in text as Epitonium rupicola (J. D. Kurtz, 1860)

pp: 286. Plate 130. Fig. 1-5.

Plate 130. Epitonium rupiculum Kurtz
Fig. 1. Lake Worth, Boynton, Florida (4x). Fig. 2. Marco Island, Florida (about 43x). Fig. 3.
Lake Worth, Boynton, Florida (4.2x). Fig. 4. Smith

DuShane, H. (1979b).

Shown in text as Epitonium lagunarum Dall, 1917, this species was described based on an example of E rupicola (Kurtz, 1860) with incorrect locality data

pp: 130.

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (2026).

Shown in text as Epitonium lagunarum Dall, 1917

Fig. USNM 253024 .

Epitonium lagunarum Dall, 1917
Holotype: USNM 253024
Photograph by Brian P. Murphy
CC0

Synonymy:

Epitonium (Gyroscala) rupicolum Kurtz [Clench & Turner, 1951: 284; Regteren Altena, 1975: 26]
Epitonium lagunarum Dall, 1917 [Dall, 1917: 477; Brown & Neville, 2015: 94; DuShane, 1979b: 130; Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, 2026: USNM 253024]
Epitonium reynoldsi G.B. Sowerby III, 1916 [Brown & Neville, 2015: 132; Natural History Museum, 2014: NHM 1919.12.31.63]
Epitonium rupicola (Kurtz, 1860) [Rosenberg et al., 2009: 642; García & Lee, 2002: 12]
Scala lineata Say [Dall, 1889a: 307]
Scalaria fischeriana Tapparone Canefri, 1876 [Brown & Neville, 2015: 73; Tapparone Canefri, 1876: 152]
Scalaria lineata [Sowerby, 1844: 101; Reeve, 1873: pl. 8, fig. 56]
Scalaria lineata Say [Kiener & Fischer, 1873a: 6; Clessin, 1897: 31; Tryon, 1887: 79; Kurtz, 1860: 7]
Scalaria lineata Say, 1822 [Brown & Neville, 2015: 97]
Scalaria rupicola Kurtz, 1860 [Brown & Neville, 2015: 134; Kurtz, 1860: 7]
Scalaria unicostata G. B. Sowerby II [Clessin, 1897: 19]
Scalaria unicostata G. B. Sowerby II, 1873 [Brown & Neville, 2015: 156; Reeve, 1873: pl. 8, fig. 55]

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]
Clench, W. J. & Turner, R. D. (1951). The Genus Epitomium in the Western Atlantic pt 1. Jonsonia. 2(30). The Department of Mollusks, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard Universit.. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/41155946 [Accessed 24 June 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]
Dall, W. H. (1889a). Reports on the results of dredging, under the supervision of Alexander Agassiz, in the Gulf of Mexico (1877-78) and in the Caribbean Sea (1879-80), by the U.S. Coast Survey Steamer "Blake", Lieut.-Commander C.D. Sigsbee, U.S.N., and Commander J.R. Bartlett, U.S.N., commanding. XXIX. Report on the Mollusca. Part 2, Gastropoda and Scaphopoda.. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoölogy at Harvard College. 18. http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/25505 [Accessed 14 August 2025]
Dall, W. H. (1917). Notes on the shells of the genus Epitonium and its allies of the Pacific coast of America.. Proceedings of the US National Museum. 53(2217). https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/7553869 [Accessed 18 September 2023]
DuShane, H. (1979b). The Family Epitoniidae in the Northeastern Pacific. The Veliger. 22(2). California Malacozoological Society, Inc.. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/134937#page/7/mode/1up [Accessed 28 June 2023]
García, E. F. & Lee, H. G. (2002). Report on molluscan species found in the offshore waters of Louisiana, including many extensions of known range and unnamed species. American Conchologist. 30(4)
Kiener, L. C. & Fischer, P. (1873a). Spécies général et iconographie des coquilles vivantes comprenant la collection du Muséum d'histoire naturelle de Paris: la collection Lamarck, celle du prince Masséna (appartenant maintenant a M.B. Delessert) et les découvertes récentes des voyageurs. 10. J.B.Baillière et Fils. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/19879 [Accessed 19 April 2025]
Kurtz, J. D. (1860). Catalogue of Recent marine shells, found on the coasts of North and South Carolina. Portland. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/44194910 [Accessed 23 August 2026]
Natural History Museum (2014). NHM Collection specimens [Data set]. Natural History Museum. https://doi.org/10.5519/0002965 [Accessed 6 April 2026]
Reeve, L. A. (1873). Monograph of the genus Scalaria. Conchologia iconica, or illustrations of the shells of molluscous animal. 19. London. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8217819 [Accessed 24 August 2023]
Regteren Altena, C. O. van (1975). The Marine Mollusca of Suriname (Dutch Guiana) Holocene and recent Part III. Gastropoda and Cephalopoda. Zoologische Verhandelingen. 139. https://archive.org/details/zoologische-verhandelingen-139-001-104 [Accessed 26 June 2026]
Rosenberg, G., Moretzsohn, F. & García, E. (2009). Gastropoda (Mollusca) of the Gulf of Mexico. Gulf of Mexico: Its Origins, Waters, and Biota.Vol 1: Biodiversity. D. L. Felder & D. K. Camp, eds,. Texas A & M University Press
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (2026). Invertebrate Zoology collections [Specimen database]. Smithsonian Institution. https://collections.nmnh.si.edu/search/iz/ [Accessed 22 August 2026]
Sowerby, G. B. II. (1844). Monograph of the genus Scalaria.. Thesaurus conchyliorum, or monographs of genera of shells.. 1 (4). London, privately published.. http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11076419 [Accessed 22 June 2023]
Tapparone Canefri, C (1876). Rectifications dans la nomenclature de quelques espèces du genre Scalaria. Journal de Conchyliologie. 24(2). https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/16071459 [Accessed 29 July 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]
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

Gyroscala rupicola

(J. D. Kurtz, 1860)

Description:

Distribution:

Provincetown, Massachusetts south to Florida and west to Texas [Clench & Turner, 1951]; SE, NE and S Gulf of Mexico to Columbia [Rosenberg et al., 2009:642]; Suriname [van Regteren Altena, 1975:26].

Habitat:

Intertidal -65m, seagrasses [Rosenberg et al., 2009:642].

Etymology:

[Latin] from rupes = rock, cliff + -cola = dweller, inhabitant; "rock-dweller", referring to the species being found "in the crevices of stones" [Kurtz, 1860: 7].

Distribution

Type Material:

Clench & Turner [1951: 284] considered Say's type of Scalaria lineata probably lost, noting that it was not present in the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia.

Brown & Neville [2015: 94], citing DuShane [1979b: 130], noted that Epitonium lagunarum Dall, 1917 was described from a specimen of Gyroscala rupicola (Kurtz, 1860) bearing incorrect locality data.

Brown & Neville [2015:132] record NHMUK 1919.12.31.63 as the holotype of Epitonium reynoldsi G. B. Sowerby III, 1916. The NHM online catalogue [Natural History Museum, 2014: ZOO.1919.12.31.63] records the same specimen simply as "Type".

Sowerby, G. B. II. (1844).

Shown in text as calaria lineata Say, 1822

Plate xxxiii. Fig. 49-51.

pp: 101.

Kurtz, J. D. (1860).

Shown in text as Scalaria rupicola Kurtz, 1860

pp: 7.

Sowerby, G. B. II. (1873).

Shown in text as Scalaria lineata Say, 1822

Plate viii. Fig. 56.

Shell solid, pyramidal, purple-brown between the varices, spire elevated, whorls seven, with a spiral ridge below oblique, varices white, numerous, simple, rounded, oblique; aperture rather large, brown.

Sowerby, G. B. II. (1873).

Shown in text as Scalaria unicostata G. B. Sowerby II, 1873

Plate viii. Fig. 55.

Shell small, pyramidal, fulvous, with a spiral ridge below, last whorl with two brown bands; varices, one on each whorl following, suture very minutely crenulated; aperture small, rounded, margin thick, rounded.

Kiener, L. C., & Fischer, P (1873a).

Shown in text as Scalaria lineata Say, 1822

Plate 2. Fig. 5.

Plate 2. Fig. 5.

pp: 6.

Tryon, G.W. (1887).

Shown in text as Scalaria lineata Say, 1822

Plate 16. Fig. 9.

Plate 16. Fig. 14.

pp: 79.

Dall, W. H. (1889).

Shown in text as Scala lineata Say, 1822

pp: 307.

Clessin, S. (1897).

Shown in text as Scalaria lineata Say, 1822

Plate 8. Fig. 8.

pp: 31.

Shell solid, pyramidal, purplish-yellow between the varices; spire elevated; whorls seven, oblique, with a single spiral ridge below; varices white, numerous, simple, rounded, oblique; aperture rather large, brown.

Clessin, S. (1897).

Shown in text as Scalaria unicostata G. B. Sowerby II, 1873

Plate 5. Fig. 3.

pp: 19.

Shell small, pyramidal, yellowish, with a single spiral ridge below; the last whorl with two brown bands; one varix per whorl, with the following whorl separated by a minutely crenulated suture; aperture small, round, with a thick, rounded margin.

Dall, W. H. (1917).

Shown in text as Epitonium lagunarum Dall, 1917

pp: 477.

Clench, W. J. & Turner, R. D. (1951).

Shown in text as Epitonium rupicola (J. D. Kurtz, 1860)

pp: 286. Plate 130. Fig. 1-5.

Plate 130. Epitonium rupiculum Kurtz Fig. 1. Lake Worth, Boynton, Florida (4x). Fig. 2. Marco Island, Florida (about 43x). Fig. 3. Lake Worth, Boynton, Florida (4.2x). Fig. 4. Smith

DuShane, H. (1979b).

Shown in text as Epitonium lagunarum Dall, 1917, this species was described based on an example of E rupicola (Kurtz, 1860) with incorrect locality data

pp: 130.

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (2026).

Shown in text as Epitonium lagunarum Dall, 1917

Fig. USNM 253024 .

Epitonium lagunarum Dall, 1917 Holotype: USNM 253024 Photograph by Brian P. Murphy CC0

Synonymy:

Source Literature:

WoRMS direct page link: Open WoRMS record

Shell solid, pyramidal, purple-brown between the varices, spire elevated, whorls seven, with a spiral ridge below oblique, varices white, numerous, simple, rounded, oblique;
aperture rather large, brown.

Plate 130. Epitonium rupiculum Kurtz
Fig. 1. Lake Worth, Boynton, Florida (4x). Fig. 2. Marco Island, Florida (about 43x). Fig. 3.
Lake Worth, Boynton, Florida (4.2x). Fig. 4. Smith

Epitonium lagunarum Dall, 1917
Holotype: USNM 253024
Photograph by Brian P. Murphy
CC0