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Epitoniidae Berry, 1910 (1812)

Epitonium jousseaumei

(de Boury, 1886)

Description:

Dimensions range from 11.5 mm - 11.5 mm high and 6.5 mm wide.
Width to height ratio: 0.57:1 ~ 0.57:1

Shell: elongated, turreted; small. Exterior colour white. About 8 whorls, disconnected, joined only by costae; rounded. Spire elongated, turreted. Suture slightly oblique, very deep, and formed by the junction of the longitudinal ribs. Umbilicate: open as a narrow slit. Approximately 16 costae on the body whorl. Costae are thin. Costae aligned from whorl to whorl; highly peaked at shoulder; strongly rolled back except on shoulder. Intercostal spaces with fine spiral threads. Base is very slightly flattened around the umbilicus with a moderately thick ridge from the fused ends of the costae. Aperture ovate; outer lip with normal rib externally. Operculum unknown.


Distribution:

Japan, new Caledonia; Port Douglas southwards to Gladstone Queensland, Australia. Additionally Sydney Harbour, NSW [probably fossil specimens]


Habitat:

to 82m. known mostly from beach shells


Etymology:

Named after Dr. Jousseaume


Type Material:

Holotype C.060642 [as Mazescala heloris Iredale, 1936] - Type Locality: Sydney Harbour, dredge Triton. [Beechey, D., 2008]
MNHN-IM-2000-4283 for Epitonium jousseaumei (de Boury, 1886) - Type Locality: New Caledonia. Ducos Peninsula!. [Boury, E. de., 1886]


SpeciesImage

Boury, E. de. (1886). Plate III. Fig. 1.

Greatly magnified specimen, viewed from the front.
Exemplaire trés-grossi, vu de face.

Distribution

as listed in source literature

Boury, E. de. (1886).
Species Image
Plate III. Fig. 1.
Greatly magnified specimen, viewed from the front.
Exemplaire trés-grossi, vu de face.
Species Image
pp: 13.
Species Image
pp: 14.
Kaicher, S.D. (1983).
Species Image
Card #: EP3-3573.
(Paris Museum - holotype)

Card #: EP3-3573
Beechey, D. (2008).
Shown in text as Mazescala heloris Iredale, 1936
Species Image
pp: Epitonium jousseaumei. Fig. 1.
Holotype: of Mazescala heloris. Sydney Harbour, dredge Triton (C.060642)
MNHN (2025b).
Species Image
Muséum national d

Synonymy:

Mazescala heloris Iredale, 1936 [in Beechey, D., 2008].


Source Literature:

Beechey, D. (2008). Shells NSW -Epitonium_jousseaumei. https://seashellsofnsw.org.au/Epitoniidae/Pages/Epitonium_jousseaumei.htm [Accessed 9 May 2023]
Boury, E. de. (1886). Monographie des Scalidae vivants et fossiles. Partie I: Sous genre Crisposcala.. Monographie des Scalidae vivants et fossiles. 1. Comptoir Géologique de Paris. https://archive.org/details/monographiedess00bourgoog [Accessed 14 March 2025]
Kaicher, S.D. (1983). Epitoniidae III [Pack 35]. S. D. Kaicher, St. Petersburg, Florida. http://www.femorale.com/kaicher/species.asp?f=Epitoniidae&c=125 [Accessed 8 May 2023]
MNHN (2025b). Holotype for Crisposcala jousseaumei de Boury, 1886 . Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle [MNHN}. https://science.mnhn.fr/institution/mnhn/collection/im/item/2000-4283?lang=en_US [Accessed 28 March 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