Epitoniidae Berry, 1910 (1812)

Epitonium harpa

(Jousseaume, 1912)

Description:

Dimensions range from 4.5 mm - 5 mm high and 2 mm wide.
Width to height ratio: 0.44:1 ~ 0.4:1

Shell: elongate-conical; solid; minute. Exterior colour white, polished, shiny. About 9 whorls; protoconch with ~3 whorls smooth; teleoconch with ~6 whorls. Suture impressed, rather deep. Imperforate. Approximately 12 - 15 costae on the body whorl. Costae are decreasing towards the columellar edge. Costae connected across the suture. Aperture oval; peristome continuous and fairly thick.

Distribution:

Red Sea to Aden

Habitat:

not reported

Type Material:

Syntypes: MNHN 4249, 4250 for Epitonium harpa (Jousseaume, 1912) - Locality: Aden, Suez.. [Brown, L. & Neville, B.D., 2015]

SpeciesImage

Jousseaume, F. (1912). Plate V. Fig. 38-41.

Distribution

as listed in source literature

Jousseaume, F. (1912).

Species Image

pp: 197-8.

Species Image

Plate V. Fig. 38-41.

Kaicher, S.D. (1981).

Species Image

Card #: EP2-3109.

Brilliant white; polished; rather delicate; sutures quite deep;
costae thin, low; NO spiral strise; to approx. 5 mm.
(Paris Museum 2668 - syntypes)

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]
Jousseaume, F. (1912). Faune malacologique de la Mer Rouge. Scalidae. Mémoires de la Société Zoologique de France.. 24(3-4). Mémoires de la Société Zoologique de France.. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/10095979 [Accessed 1 March 2025]
Kaicher, S.D. (1981). Epitoniidae II [Pack 30]. S. D. Kaicher, St. Petersburg, Florida. http://www.femorale.com/kaicher/species.asp?f=Epitoniidae&c=125 [Accessed 8 May 2023]
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