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] [Melvill & Standen, 1903a: 341].

Habitat:

13m [Melvill & Standen, 1903a: 341].

Etymology:

a reference to the name formerly given to Aphrodite.

SpeciesImage

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

Scala amathusia

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.

Scala amathusia Melvill & Standen, 1903SyntypeNHM 1903.12.15.26. Charbar, Iran. 13m. [Natural History Museum, 2014: NHM 1903.12.15.26].NHM 1981205. [Natural History Museum, 2014: NHM 1981205].NHMUK 1903.12.15.26. Mekran coast, Charbar, Iran. 13m [7 fthms]. [Brown & Neville, 2015: 36].NHMUK 1981205. Mekran coast, Charbar, Iran. 13m [7 fthms]. [Brown & Neville, 2015: 36].

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

Shown in text as Scala amathusia Melvill & Standen, 1903

Species Image

Plate VII. Fig. 1.

Scala amathusia

Species Image

pp: 341.

Synonymy:

Scala amathusia Melvill & Standen, 1903 [Brown & Neville, 2015: 36; Melvill & Standen, 1903a: 341; Natural History Museum, 2014: NHM 1903.12.15.26; Natural History Museum, 2014: NHM 1981205]

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. (1903a). 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]
Natural History Museum (2014). NHM Collection specimens [Data set]. Natural History Museum. https://doi.org/10.5519/0002965 [Accessed 6 April 2026]
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