Epitoniidae Berry, 1910 (1812)

Cylindriscala distincta

(E. A. Smith, 1891)

Description:

Dimensions range from 11 mm - 15 mm high and 3.4 mm wide.
Width to height ratio: 0.31:1 ~ 0.23:1

Shell: elongate, slender; small. Exterior colour white. About 14 whorls, well rounded, the body whorl is keeled at the middle, concave below; protoconch with ~4 whorls ; teleoconch with ~10 whorls. Suture deep. Imperforate: umbilicus closed. Approximately 12 - 16 costae on the body whorl. Costae are strong, thin, occasionally thicker. Costae not aligned between whorls. Intercostal spaces with low, wide spiral cords, which cross the costae, nodules may form where they intersect. Interstices with approximately 4 - 7 spiral striae per whorl. Base with strong basal disc, smooth below basal cord. Aperture ovate, subcircular, lip thickened by a a varix.

Distribution:

Australia; Broken Bay, NSW, southwards to Bass Strait [Beechey, 2008].

Habitat:

Known from 146-1463 m. Uncommon., 750 m., 146-1463 m. [Beechey, 2008].

Etymology:

[latiin] From distinctus = distinct, separate, or clearly marked. The intended meaning is not specifically stated by the author.

SpeciesImage

Iredale, T. (1936). Fig. 29.

Distribution

as listed in source literature

Type Material:

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.

Cylindriscala distincta (E. A. Smith, 1891)SyntypeNHMUK 1889.10.12.37-8. off Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. [CHALLENGER station 164 B] 750m [410 fthms]. [Brown & Neville, 2015: 64].
Scalaria distincta E. A. Smith, 1891SyntypeNHM 1889.10.12.37-8. off Sydney, Australia. Lat: -34.2167, Lon: 151.6333. 750m [410 fthms]. . 13/6/1874. [Natural History Museum, 2014: NHM 1889.10.12.37-8].NHM,:1889.10.12.37-37-38. off Sydney, Australia. Lat: -34.2167, Lon: 151.6333. 750m [410 fthms]. . 13/6/1874. [Natural History Museum, 2014: NHM 1889.10.12.37-38].

Smith, E. A. (1891a).

Species Image

Plate XXXV. Fig. 15.

Species Image

pp: 441.

Iredale, T. (1936).

Species Image

Fig. 29.

Species Image

pp: 305.

Beechey, D. (2008).

Species Image

pp: Cylindriscala distincta. Fig. 1.

Off Nowra, NSW, in 550 m (C.310500)

Synonymy:

Scalaria distincta E. A. Smith, 1891 [Iredale, 1936: 305; Smith, 1891a: 441; Natural History Museum, 2014: NHM 1889.10.12.37-8; Natural History Museum, 2014: NHM 1889.10.12.37-38]

Source Literature:

Beechey, D. (2008aa). Cylindriscala_distincta. Seashells of NSW. https://seashellsofnsw.org.au/Epitoniidae/Pages/Cylindriscala_distincta.htm [Accessed 10 May 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]
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]
Lima, S.F.B & Christoffersen, M.L. (2012). Checklist of Recent Cylindriscala [Caenogastropoda: Epitoniidae] of the World. Check List. 8[4]. DOI:10.15560/8.4.740 [Accessed 27 August 2025]
Natural History Museum (2014). NHM Collection specimens [Data set]. Natural History Museum. https://doi.org/10.5519/0002965 [Accessed 6 April 2026]
Smith, E. A. (1891a). Descriptions of new species of shells from the `Challenger' Expedition. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/70324 [Accessed 8 July 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