Gyroscala rupicola
(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]
Habitat:
Intertidal -65m, seagrasses [Rosenberg et al., 2009:642]
Type Material:
Type: Say's type of S. lineata is probably not in existence, at least it is not in the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia where many of his types are to be found. Say did not delimit his type locality other than 'inhabits the southern coast.' The whereabouts of the type of S. rupicola Kurtz is unknown [as Epitonium rupicola (J. D. Kurtz, 1860)] - Type Locality: Fort Johnson, South Carolina. [Clench, W. J. & Turner, R. D., 1951]
Type not located for Gyroscala rupicola (Kurtz, 1860) - Type Locality: Ft. Johnson, South Carolina.. [Brown, L. & Neville, B.D., 2015]
Type: USNM 253024 [as Epitonium lagunarum Dall, 1917, this species was described based on an example of Gyroscala rupicola (Kurtz, 1860) with incorrect locality data.] - Type Locality: 'Laguna Beach, California', in error.. [Brown, L. & Neville, B.D., 2015]
Type not located. [as Scalaria lineata Say, 1822:] - Type Locality: inhabits the southern coast [of the United States].. [Brown, L. & Neville, B.D., 2015]
Holotype: NHMUK 1919.12.31.63 [as Epitonium reynoldsi G.B. Sowerby III, 1916:] - Type Locality: Florida, USA.. [Brown, L. & Neville, B.D., 2015]
Type not located [as Scalaria unicostata G.B. Sowerby II, 1873: ~Scalaria fischeriana Tapparone-Canefri, 1876.] - Type Locality: America. [Brown, L. & Neville, B.D., 2015]
Holotype: USNM 253024 [as Epitonium lagunarum Dall, 1917, this species was described based on an example of E rupicola (Kurtz, 1860) with incorrect locality data] - Type Locality: Laguna Beach, California. [DuShane, H., 1979b]
Kiener, L. C., & Fischer, P (1873a). Plate 2. Fig. 5.
Distribution
as listed in source literature
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.
Sowerby, G. B. II. (1873).
Shown in text as calaria 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.
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 this species was described based on an example of Gyroscala rupicola (Kurtz, 1860) with incorrect locality data. [Brown & Neville, 2015]
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.
arsint.com (2023).
