Epitoniidae Berry, 1910 (1812)

Epitonium anabathmos

Kilburn, 1985

Description:

Dimensions range from 4.2 mm - 5.4 mm high.
Width to height ratio: 00:1 ~ 00:1

Shell: broadly pyramidal; minute. Exterior colour white. About 8 whorls, convex; protoconch conical with ~3 whorls convex; teleoconch with ~5 whorls strongly convex. Suture narrowly fenestrate. Imperforate: umbilicus closed. Approximately 15 - 24 costae on the body whorl. Costae are prosocline, thin, rather low, becoming more widely spaced. Costae more or less continuous; with a small, blunt, reflexed coronation on the shoulder; moderately reflexed. Intercostal spaces smooth. Fasciole distinct. Aperture ovate; peristome double, base moderately thick.

Distribution:

Zululand to western Transkei, South Africa [Kilburn, 1985: 292].

Habitat:

Intertidal [Brown & Neville, 2015: 37].

Etymology:

[greek] from anabathmos = a stairway.

SpeciesImage

Kilburn, R.N. (1985). Plate 96, E. (Hirtoscala) anabathmos sp. n..

holotype, 4,2 x 2,3 mm.

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.

Epitonium (Hirtoscala) anabathmos Kilburn 1985HolotypeNM A5034/T2926. Mzamba Transkei, South Africa. Lat: 30°51'S, Lon: 29°46'E. beach-drift. Collected by: J. P. Marais. [Kilburn, 1985: 292].NM A5034/T2926. Mzamba, Transkei, South Africa. Lat: 30° 51'S, Lon: 29° 46'E. intertidal. [Brown & Neville, 2015: 37].ParatypeNM A6503/T2949. Mbotyi, Transkei, South Africa. [Kilburn, 1985: 292].NM B7553/T2945. Nthlonyane, Transkei, South Africa. [Kilburn, 1985: 292].NM A1021/T2948. Scottburgh, Natal, South Africa. [Kilburn, 1985: 292].NM 8792/T2950. Shelly Beach, S. of Port Shepstone, Natal, South Africa. [Kilburn, 1985: 292].NM B4202/T2947. Shelly Beach, S. of Port Shepstone, Natal, South Africa. [Kilburn, 1985: 292].NM 3141/T503. Tongaat, Natal, South Africa. [Kilburn, 1985: 292].NM B4774/T2951. Mapelane, Umfolosi R. mouth, Zululand, [Kilburn, 1985: 292].NM B7551/T2946. Mzamba, [Kilburn, 1985: 292].

Kilburn, R.N (1985).

Species Image

Plate 96, E. (Hirtoscala) anabathmos sp. n..

holotype, 4,2 x 2,3 mm.

Synonymy:

Epitonium (Hirtoscala) anabathmos Kilburn 1985 [Kilburn, 1985: 292; Brown & Neville, 2015: 37; Weil et al., 1999: 54]

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]
Kilburn, R.N. (1985). The family Epitoniidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) in southern Africa and Mozambique. Annals of the Natal Museum. 27(1). Natal Museum
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