Epitonium emiliae

(Melvill & Standen, 1903)

Description:

Dimensions range from 5 mm - 12 mm high and 2.3 mm - 5.5 mm wide.
Width to height ratio: 0.46:1 ~ 0.46:1

Shell: pyramidal; thin and fragile, delicate; minute to small. Exterior colour uniform light greyish-reddish-brown to light brown (fading to light yellowish-brown) with white ribs and base of body whorl pale, rarely uniform yellowish-white. About 10 whorls; protoconch with ~3 whorls very smooth, highly shiny, and glassy; teleoconch with 5-7 whorls convex, ventricose, closely laminate. Suture deep, impressed. Umbilicate: narrow. Approximately 20 - 36 costae on the body whorl. Costae are sometimes with an occasional thicker rib. Intercostal spaces intervals almost smooth, with traces of a few spiral scratch-like striae when fresh.. Aperture roundly ovate; peristome peristome thin complete.

Distribution:

Off Kii Peninsula, Japan [Nakayama, 2003:71]; Gulf of Arabia to Algoa Bay [Kilburn, 1985:307]

Habitat:

12 m [Kilburn, 1985:307] to 50 m [Nakayama, 2003:71]

Etymology:

named for Emily, the wife of F.W. Townsend, the discoverer of the shell

Type Material:

Holotype: NHMUK 1903.12.15.24 for Epitonium emiliae (Melvill & Standen, 1903) - Type Locality: Karachi, Pakistan, 3 fms [= 5 m].. [Brown, L. & Neville, B.D., 2015]
Holotype: ZMB 109283 for Epitonium emiliae (Melvill & Standen, 1903) - Type Locality: Station 101, Algoa Bay, South Africa.. [Brown, L. & Neville, B.D., 2015]

Nakayama, T. (2003). pp: 139. Plate 18. Fig. 17-18.

figs 17-18:
Epitonium (Papyriscala) emiliae (Melvill & Standen, 1903)
height 6.0 mm; breadth 3.0 mm (NA)

Distribution

as listed in source literature

Melvill, J. C. & Standen, R (1903).

Plate VII. Fig. 6.

Scala emilia sp.n. (PI. VII., fig.

Thiele, J. (1925).

Shown in text as Scala algoensis Thiele, 1925

Plate 11. Fig. 14.

pp: 139.

Kaicher, S.D. (1980).

Card #: EP1-2313.

Shell rather thin; inflated; with numerous low, rather thread-like costae which are slightly angled at the suture; to approx.
12 mm. (BMNH type collection 1903.12.15.24)

Card #: EP1-2313

Kilburn, R.N (1985).

120-NM 7085,
Durban Bay, 6,6 x 3,6 mm

NM 7085,
Durban Bay, 7,7 x 3,7 mm .

Nakayama, T. (2003).

pp: 139. Plate 18. Fig. 17-18.

figs 17-18:
Epitonium (Papyriscala) emiliae (Melvill & Standen, 1903)
height 6.0 mm; breadth 3.0 mm (NA)

Synonymy:

Scala algoensis Thiele, 1925 [in Thiele, J., 1925].

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]
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]
Kilburn, R.N (1985). The family Epitoniidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) in southern Africa and Mozambique. Annals of the Natal Museum. 27(1). Natal Museum
Melvill, J. C. & Standen, R (1903). The genus Scala (Klein) Humphrey, as represented in the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, and North Arabian Sea, with descriptions of new species.. Journal of Conchology. 10. Conchological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/31650162 [Accessed 26 February 2025]
Nakayama, T. (2003). A Review of Northwest Pacific Epitoniids. Monographs of Marine Mollusca. 6. Backhuys Publishers
Thiele, J. (1925). Gastropoden der Deutschen Tiefsee-Expedition. II Teil. Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der Deutschen Tiefsee-Expedition auf dem Dampfer "Valdivia" 1898-1899.. 17(2). https://www.deutsche-digitale-bibliothek.de/item/3NJJP6TFO3ZWXZDRTI2CZV66VP76UDWR [Accessed 26 October 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 [Accessed 8 November 2025]

WoRMS direct page link: Open WoRMS record

Epitonium emiliae

(Melvill & Standen, 1903)

Description:

Distribution:

Off Kii Peninsula, Japan [Nakayama, 2003:71]; Gulf of Arabia to Algoa Bay [Kilburn, 1985:307]

Habitat:

12 m [Kilburn, 1985:307] to 50 m [Nakayama, 2003:71]

Etymology:

named for Emily, the wife of F.W. Townsend, the discoverer of the shell

Type Material:

Distribution

Melvill, J. C. & Standen, R (1903).

Plate VII. Fig. 6.

Scala emilia sp.n. (PI. VII., fig.

Thiele, J. (1925).

Shown in text as Scala algoensis Thiele, 1925

Plate 11. Fig. 14.

pp: 139.

Kaicher, S.D. (1980).

Card #: EP1-2313.

Shell rather thin; inflated; with numerous low, rather thread-like costae which are slightly angled at the suture; to approx. 12 mm. (BMNH type collection 1903.12.15.24) Card #: EP1-2313

Kilburn, R.N (1985).

120-NM 7085, Durban Bay, 6,6 x 3,6 mm

NM 7085, Durban Bay, 7,7 x 3,7 mm .

Nakayama, T. (2003).

pp: 139. Plate 18. Fig. 17-18.

figs 17-18: Epitonium (Papyriscala) emiliae (Melvill & Standen, 1903) height 6.0 mm; breadth 3.0 mm (NA)

Synonymy:

Scala algoensis Thiele, 1925 [in Thiele, J., 1925].

Source Literature:

WoRMS direct page link: Open WoRMS record

Shell rather thin; inflated; with numerous low, rather thread-like costae which are slightly angled at the suture; to approx.
12 mm. (BMNH type collection 1903.12.15.24)

Card #: EP1-2313

120-NM 7085,
Durban Bay, 6,6 x 3,6 mm

NM 7085,
Durban Bay, 7,7 x 3,7 mm .

figs 17-18:
Epitonium (Papyriscala) emiliae (Melvill & Standen, 1903)
height 6.0 mm; breadth 3.0 mm (NA)