Epitoniidae Berry, 1910 (1812)

Cycloscala hyalina

(G. B. Sowerby II, 1844)

Description:

Dimensions range from 1 mm - 18 mm high and .3 mm - 14 mm wide.
Width to height ratio: 0.3:1 ~ 0.78:1

Shell: narrowly to widely scalariform, pyramidal; glassy, thin; microscopic to small. Exterior colour transparent, glossy, white. About 12 whorls, rounded, uncoiled from the first teleoconch, completely separated; protoconch with 3-5 whorls tall, glassy, often tilted to one side; teleoconch with 4-7 whorls moderately rounded, loosely coiled. Umbilicate: sub-circular, with ribs entering the umbilicus. Approximately 5 - 14 costae on the body whorl. Costae are high, thin, weakly crenulate, edges are sometimes fluted. Costae not aligned; blunt coronation on the shoulder; slightly recurved; not continuous across the whorls. Intercostal spaces smooth without striae. Aperture ovate, separated from preceeding whorl; peristome complete with rimmed lip; outer lip reflexed. Operculum light in colour, translucent, nucleus central.

Distribution:

Indo-Pacific; Red Sea to Natal, Sth Africa [Kilburn, 1985:258]; Hawaiian Islands, Philippines, Solomon Islands, Tuamotu Archipelago, Papua New Guinea, Red Sea, Natal, Peninsular Malaysia [Dushane, 1990:3]; Sagami Bay to Kyushu, southern coast of Sea of Japan [Nakayama, 2003:35]. Cocos Keeling Islands [Maes, 1967:117]. The full extent of Australian range unknown but it has been recorded from Northern Territory, Queensland and Twofold Bay NSW & South Australia [Beechy, 2008]; Dushane [1990:3] also cites South Australia.; [Cecalupo & Quadri [1994:7] presented evidence of the species from the northern coast of Cyprus, having crossing into the Mediterranean sea via the Red Sea

Habitat:

intertidal to 38 m, very shallow water to 1150 m [Garcia, 2004:60] sand. Known mainly from beach wash-up [Beechey, 2008.

Etymology:

[latin] from hyalinus = glassy

Type Material:

Syntype: Scalaria hyalina Sowerby, 1844. Four syntypes BM(NH) 198148.
Epitonium hyalinum mokuoloense Pilsbry, 1921. Ten specimens in type lot, ANSP 127834.
Scala revoluta Hedley, 1899. Holotype, Australian Museum C5872.
Scala (Cycloscala) latedisjuncta deBoury, 1911. Holotype, Paris Museum.
Cycloscala anguina Jousseaume, 1912. Paris Museum No. 2650.
Solvaclathrus jacobiscala Iredale, 1936. Holotype, Australian Museum C.60652. [as Cycloscala hyalina mokuoloensis (Pilsbry, 1921)] - Locality: Luzon, Philippines.. [DuShane, H., 1988]
Syntypes: NHMUK 1981048 [as Scalaria hyalina (G. B. Sowerby II, 1844): ~ Scalaria (Cycloscala) paucilobata de Boury, 1911b; ~ Epitonium hyalinum mokuoloense Pilsbry, 1921; ~ Solvaclathrus jacobiscala Iredale, 1936.] - Locality: Catanuan Island, Luzon, Philippines.. [Brown, L. & Neville, B.D., 2015]
Holotype: AMS C.60652 [as Solvaclathrus jacobiscala Iredale, 1936:] - Locality: Sydney Harbour, New South Wales.. [Brown, L. & Neville, B.D., 2015]
Syntype: ANSP 127834 [as Epitonium hyalinum mokuoloense Pilsbry, 1921:] - Locality: Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.. [Brown, L. & Neville, B.D., 2015]
Holotype: MNHN 4369 [as Scalaria paucilobata de Boury, 1911:] - Locality: New Caledonia.. [Brown, L. & Neville, B.D., 2015]
Type: Muséum de Paris, n° 1.163 [as Scalaria (Cycloscala) paucilobata de Boury, 1911]. [Boury, E. de., 1911]

SpeciesImage

Sowerby, G. B. II. (1844). Plate xxxii. Fig. 21.

Sc. HYALINA. (pl. xxxii. f. 21, 22.)

Distribution

as listed in source literature

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

Shown in text as Scalaria hyalina Sowerby, 1844

Species Image

Plate xxxii. Fig. 21.

Sc. HYALINA. (pl. xxxii. f. 21, 22.)

Species Image

Plate xxxii. Fig. 22.

Sc. HYALINA. (pl. xxxii. f. 21, 22.)

Species Image

pp: 85.

Original description

Sowerby, G. B. II. (1873-1874).

Species Image

Plate vi. Fig. 41a.

Species Image

Plate vi. Fig. 42b.

Tryon, G.W. (1879).

Shown in text as Scalaria hyalina G. B. Sowerby II, 1844

Species Image

Plate 11. Fig. 53.

Species Image

Plate 11. Fig. 54.

Species Image

pp: 57.

Clessin, S. (1897).

Species Image

Plate 16. Fig. 8.

Species Image

pp: 63.

Shell pyramidal, white, smooth, thin, transparent; whorls very disjointed; varices widely spaced, fringed or laciniated; aperture rounded, separated from the last whorl; margin fringed or jagged.

Boury, E. de. (1911).

Shown in text as Scalaria (Cycloscala) paucilobata de Boury, 1911

Species Image

pp: 329-330.

Iredale, T. (1936).

Shown in text as Solvaclathrus jacobiscala sp. novo

Species Image

Plate xxii. Fig. 14.

described as Solvaclathrus jacobiscala sp. novo

Species Image

pp: 299. Plate xxii.

original description

Maes, V. O. (1967).

Species Image

Plate 8. Fig. F.

Epitonium sp. ANSP 289436,
Cocos Keeling Islands, 7.8 mm

Kaicher, S.D. (1981).

Shown in text as Epitonium jacobiscala (Iredale, 1936)

Species Image

Card #: EP2-3102.

Holotype: Australian Museum C.60652

Kaicher, S.D. (1981).

Species Image

Card #: EP2-3043.

BMN type collection 198148
PHILIPPINES

Kilburn, R.N (1985).

Species Image

NM B2063. Durban Bay: 28, 2,2 x 1,3 mm; 29, 5,7 x 2,9 mm; 30, 6,3 x 3,6 mm; 31, 4,3 x 2,4 mm

Dushane, H. (1988).

Shown in text as Cycloscala hyalina mokuoloensis (Pilsbry, 1921)

Species Image

pp: 1. Fig. 2.

2. Cyclascala hyalina (Sowerby, 1844)
Mamala Bay, Oahu Island, Burch ColI
L II mm, W 2mm

Species Image

pp: 1.

Species Image

pp: 1. Fig. 3.

3. Cycloscalahyalina mokuoloensis(Pilsbry, 1921)
type lot ten specimens ANSP 127834
L 8 mm, W 4.5 mm.

Cecalupo A, Quadri P (1994).

Species Image

pp: 7. Plate 1. Fig. 2-2a.

Cycloscala byalina (Sowerby, 1844),
fig. 2, h 3,9 mm, fig. 2a h. 3,0 mm)
località Kyrenia (Girne) -10 m.

Nakayama, T. (2003).

Species Image

pp: 141. Plate 19. Fig. 1-2.

Cycloscala hyalina (Sowerby, 1844)
height 3.0 mm; breadth 2.4 mm (NA: figs 1-2, 8 fig. 3) height 9.0 mm; breadth 5.5 mm (WMNH-Mo-Na383: figs 4-5)

Species Image

pp: 141. Plate 19. Fig. 3-5.

height 3.0 mm; breadth 2.4 mm (NA: figs 1-2, 8 fig. 3) height 9.0 mm; breadth 5.5 mm (WMNH-Mo-Na383: figs 4-5)

Garcia, E.F. (2004).

Species Image

pp: 63. Fig. 18, 20.

New Caledonia, Secteur de Touho, 20°45.2°S, 165°08°E, 9-11 m

Species Image

pp: 63. Fig. 19.

Protoconch
New Caledonia, Secteur de Touho, 20°46.0-20°46.5S, 165°13°-165°14.5°E, 6-15 m

Species Image

pp: 633. Fig. 21.

Reunion Island, 21°05S, 55°12

Beechey, D. (2008).

Species Image

pp: Cycloscala hyalina. Fig. 1.

Gunnamatta Bay, Port Hacking, NSW (C.460971)

Species Image

pp: Cycloscala hyalina. Fig. 2.

Holotype: of Solvaclathrus jacobiscala. Sydney Harbour, Triton dredge (C.060652)

Species Image

pp: Cycloscala hyalina. Fig. 3.

Gunnamatta Bay, Port Hacking, NSW (All C.460971)

arsint.com (2023).

Species Image

3.5 mm, Mactan Island, Cebu. Dived at 20 m.

Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle (2025).

Shown in text as Scalaria (Cycloscala) paucilobata de Boury, 1911

Species Image

Scalaria aucilobata de Boury, 1911
Holotype: MNHN-IM-2000-4369

Synonymy:

Cycloscala hyalina mokuoloensis (Pilsbry, 1921) [in DuShane, H., 1988].
Epitonium hyalinum mokuoloense Pilsbry, 1921: [in Brown, L. & Neville, B.D., 2015].
Epitonium jacobiscala (Iredale, 1936) [in Kaicher, S.D., 1981].
Epitonium jacobiscala (Iredale, 1936) [in Wilson, B.R., 1993].
Scalaria (Cycloscala) paucilobata de Boury, 1911 [in Boury, E. de., 1911].
Scalaria (Cycloscala) paucilobata de Boury, 1911 [in Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 2025].
Scalaria hyalina (G. B. Sowerby II, 1844): ~ Scalaria (Cycloscala) paucilobata de Boury, 1911b; ~ Epitonium hyalinum mokuoloense Pilsbry, 1921; ~ Solvaclathrus jacobiscala Iredale, 1936. [in Brown, L. & Neville, B.D., 2015].
Scalaria hyalina G. B. Sowerby II, 1844 [in Tryon, G.W., 1887].
Scalaria hyalina Sowerby, 1844 [in Sowerby, G. B. II., 1844].
Scalaria paucilobata de Boury, 1911: [in Brown, L. & Neville, B.D., 2015].
Sclaria hyalina mokuoloense Pilsbry, 1921 [in DuShane, H., 1990].
Solvaclathrus jacobiscala Iredale, 1936: [in Brown, L. & Neville, B.D., 2015].
Solvaclathrus jacobiscala sp. novo [in Iredale, T., 1936].

Source Literature:

arsint.com (2023). Shells for Sale:Epitonidae. arsint.com. http://www.arsint.com/seashells_epitoniidae_opalia.html [Accessed 21 October 2023]
Beechey, D. (2008). Shells NSW -Cycloscala_hyalina. https://seashellsofnsw.org.au/Epitoniidae/Pages/Cycloscala_hyalina.htm [Accessed 10 May 2023]
Boury, E. de. (1911). Diagnoses de Scalariidæ nouveaux appartenant aux sous-genres Cycloscala et Nodiscala.. Bulletin du Muséum national d’histoire naturelle. 17(5). https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/332107 [Accessed 20 June 2025]
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]
Cecalupo A. & Quadri P (1994). Contributo alla conoscenza malacologica per il nord dell’isola di Cipro (parte I).. Bollettino Malacologico. 30. https://www.societaitalianadimalacologia.it/Bollettino/Bollettino%201994/Boll.%20Mal.%201994%205-16.pdf [Accessed 10 November 2025]
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]
DuShane, H. (1988). Hawaiian Epitoniidae pt.2. Hawaiian Shell News. 36(4). https://www.conchology.be/?t=5002&year=1988&volume=11&hsn=10345 [Accessed 16 September 2023]
DuShane, H. (1990). Hawaiian Epitoniidae. Hawaiian Shell News. 38(Sup.1). Hawaiian Malacological Society
Garcia, E.F. (2004). On the genus Cycloscala Dall, 1889 (Gastropoda: Epitoniidae) in the Indo-Pacific, with comments on the type species, new records of known species, and the description of three new species. Novapex : trimestriel de la Société belge de malacologie,. 5(2-3). https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/93162 [Accessed 10 June 2025]
Higo, S., Callomon, P. & Goto, Y. (1999). Catalogue and Bibliography of the Marine Shell-Bearing Mollusca of Japan.. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/266375656_Catalogue_and_Bibliography_of_the_Marine_Shell-Bearing_Mollusca_of_Japan [Accessed 25 July 2025]
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. (1981). Epitoniidae II [Pack 30]. S. D. Kaicher, St. Petersburg, Florida. http://www.femorale.com/kaicher/species.asp?f=Epitoniidae&c=125 [Accessed 8 May 2023]
Kilburn, R.N (1985). The family Epitoniidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) in southern Africa and Mozambique. Annals of the Natal Museum. 27(1). Natal Museum
Maes, V. O. (1967). The Littoral Marine Mollusks of Cocos-Keeling Islands (Indian Ocean). Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 119. Academy of Natural Sciences. https://www.jstor.org/stable/4064613 [Accessed 25 October 2025]
Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle (2025). Scalaria aucilobata de Boury, 1911 Holotype: MNHN-IM-2000-4369. Mus. http://coldb.mnhn.fr/catalognumber/mnhn/im/2000-4369 [Accessed 20 June 2025]
Nakayama, T. (2003). A Review of Northwest Pacific Epitoniids. Monographs of Marine Mollusca. 6. Backhuys Publishers
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]
Sowerby, G. B. II. (1873-1874). Monograph of the genus Scalaria. Conchologia iconica, or illustrations of the shells of molluscous animals, vol. 19, pls 1-16 and unpaginated text.. 19. London. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8217819 [Accessed 24 August 2023]
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
Wilson, B.R. (1993). Australian Marine Shells. Australian Marine Shells. 1. Odessey Publications
WoRMS Editorial Board (2025). World Register of Marine Species. https://www.marinespecies.org [Accessed 8 November 2025]

WoRMS direct page link: Open WoRMS record