Epitoniidae Berry, 1910 (1812)

Epitonium amathusium

(Melvill & Standen, 1903)

Description:

Dimensions range from 6.5 mm - 7 mm high and 2.5 mm wide.
Width to height ratio: 0.38:1 ~ 0.36:1

Shell: ; quite sturdy; minute. Exterior colour white, shiny. About 9 whorls; protoconch with 2-3 whorls transparent, very smooth; teleoconch with 5-6 whorls slightly ventricose. Suture impressed. Imperforate. Approximately 18 - 20 costae on the body whorl. Costae are low, straight, sharp, thin. Intercostal spaces smooth. Aperture round, lip slightly thickened.

Distribution:

Gulf of Oman, Makran Coast [Pakistan and Iran]

Habitat:

13 m.

Etymology:

a reference to the name formerly given to Aphrodite

Type Material:

Syntypes: NHMUK 1903.12.15.26 & 1981205 [as Scala amathusia Melvill & Standen, 1903:] - Type Locality: Mekran coast, Charbar, 7 fms [= 13 m].. [Brown, L. & Neville, B.D., 2015]

SpeciesImage

Melvill, J. C. & Standen, R (1903). Plate VII. Fig. 1.

Scala amathusia

Distribution

as listed in source literature

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

Species Image

Plate VII. Fig. 1.

Scala amathusia

Species Image

pp: 341.

Kaicher, S.D. (1980).

Species Image

Card #: EP1-2300.

BMNH type collection 1903.12.15.26

Synonymy:

Scala amathusia Melvill & Standen, 1903: [in Brown, L. & Neville, B.D., 2015].

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]
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]
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