Epitonium latifasciatum
(Sowerby II, 1874)
Description:
Dimensions range from 11.44 mm - 26 mm high and 6.03 mm - 13.6 mm wide.
Width to height ratio: 0.53:1 ~ 0.52:1
Shell: broadly pyramidal, rather ventricose; small to moderately small. Exterior colour white, or pale fulvous, spirally painted with three brown bands, the central band is twice the width of the others. About 11 whorls, rounded, prominent, gradually increasing, contiguous; protoconch with ~5 whorls ; teleoconch with ~6 whorls. Spire rather short. Suture narrowly fenestrate on later whorls. Umbilicate. Approximately 15 - 29 costae on the body whorl. Costae are simple, thin, rather low, regular. Costae simple at the suture; crests slightly reflexed. Intercostal spaces with faint scratch-like microstriae. Columella obtusely angular. Aperture oval, golden within; inner lip somewhat squared at the anterior.
Apart from its much larger size latifasciata appears remarkably similar to the earlier Scalaria trifasciata Sowerby, 1844 (= Scalaria clementina Grateloup, 1840, non Melanopsis clementina Michelin, 1833, fide Nyst)., Compare with E.clementium., Distinguished by its width.
Distribution:
Mauritius; Mauritius [Kilburn, 1985:117]; Australia, North Queensland; Normanville, South Australia to Bunbury, Western Australia Cotton & Godfrey [1931:8] and Verco [1906: 144], Torres Straits [Brazier, 1875:]; off Mishima, Japan Sea and Philippines [Higo et al., 1999:224]
Habitat:
intertidal to 150m, sandy mud
Etymology:
[latin] from latus = broad or wide and fascia = band or stripe in reference to the broad brown band on the shell
Type Material:
not located [as Epitonium (Papyriscala) latifasciatum Sowerby, Kira, 1959: ~ Papyriscala tricincta Golikov in Golikov & Scarlato, 1967.] - Locality: Japan.. [Brown, L. & Neville, B.D., 2015]
NHMUK 1891.7.28.1 (lectotype) designated by Kilburn (1985: 305). [as Scalaria latifasciata G.B. Sowerby II, 1874:] - Locality: Maheburg, Mauritius, on sandy mud.. [Brown, L. & Neville, B.D., 2015]
not located. [as Scalaria rubro-lineata G.B. Sowerby II, 1844:] - Locality: none given.. [Brown, L. & Neville, B.D., 2015]
Murrell (2025).
Kurrimine Beach, Queensland, Australia
11.44 x 6.03 mm
Distribution
as listed in source literature
Sowerby, G. B. I. (1825).
Plate xv. Fig. 117a.
Plate xi. Fig. 117b.
Sea. testd late pyramidatd, perforata, alba, vel pallide fulvd, fasciis tribus fascis, mcdiand laid, spiraliter piictd ; anfractibus rapid'e ciescentibus, rotundis; varicibus mimerosis,
tenuibus, laminatis, ad suturam simplicibus.
The shell is broadly pyramidal, perforated, white, or pale yellow, with three bands, the middle one broad, spirally painted; whorls increasing rapidly, rounded; varices numerous, thin, laminated, simple at the suture.
Sowerby, G. B. II. (1844).
Shown in text as Scalaria rubrolineata G. B. Sowerby II, 1844
Plate xxxiv. Fig. 83.
Plate xxxiv. Fig. 84.
pp: 91.
Sowerby, G. B. II. (1873-1874).
Shown in text as Scalaria rubrolineata G. B. Sowerby II, 1844
Plate ix. Fig. 64.
Tryon, G.W. (1879).
Shown in text as Scalaria rubrolineata G. B. Sowerby II, 1844
Plate 12. Fig. 82.
Plate 12. Fig. 83.
pp: 60.
Clessin, S. (1897).
Plate 11. Fig. 1.
pp: 37.
Shell broadly pyramidal, perforate, white or pale yellow, spirally marked with three brown bands, the middle one being broad; whorls rapidly increasing, rounded; varices numerous, thin, lamellar, simple near the suture.
Clessin, S. (1897).
Shown in text as Scalaria rubrolineata G. B. Sowerby II, 1844
Plate 2. Fig. 8.
pp: 6.
Shell somewhat swollen, perforate, yellowish, with a single spiral red line between the varices; spire rather short; five contiguous whorls; numerous white varices, moderately curved, simple; aperture golden within, columella bluntly angled.
Verco, J.C. (1906).
pp: 144.
Scalaria rubrolineata, Sow.,
Cotton, B.C. & Godfrey, F.K. (1931).
Shown in text as Scalaria rubrolineata G. B. Sowerby II, 1844
pp: 6.
Kaicher, S.D. (1980).
Card #: EP1-2387.
Kilburn, R.N (1985).
Holotype: BMNH 1891.7.28.1
21,6 x 13,6 mm
Murrell (2025).
Kurrimine Beach, Queensland, Australia
11.44 x 6.03 mm
