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Epitoniidae Berry, 1910 (1812)

Cirsotrema amamiense

T. Nakayama, 2000

Description:

Dimensions range from 4.1 mm - 13.2 mm high and 6.3 mm - 9.1 mm wide.
Width to height ratio: 01.54:1 ~ 0.69:1

Shell: pyramidal; thick, rather thick; minute to small. Exterior colour dull white. About 9 whorls, convex; protoconch with ~2 whorls exact number unknown; teleoconch with ~7 whorls strongly angled at the shoulder. Spire convex. Suture deep, crossed by thick lamellae. Imperforate: umbilicus closed. Costae are blade-like, surface with numerous blade-like axial costae grouped to form foliated coronation. Occasional irregular and strong varix appearing randomly on the shell. Costae touch the costa below. Base with a distinct ridge formed by the costae. Columella margin reflexed and thickened. Aperture circular; outer lip margin strongly angled at coronation. Operculum black, circular, paucispiral.


Distribution:

Ryukyu Islands, Kii Peninsula Japan [Nakayama, 2000: 278]; Aliguay Island, Philippines [Brown & Neville, 2015: 36].


Habitat:

at about 100-200 m deep [Nakayama, 2003: 24].


Etymology:

[japanese/ latin] from Amami, referring to the Amami Islands of Japan; in reference to the type locality.


SpeciesImage

Nakayama, T. (2003). pp: 109. Plate 3. Fig. 29-31.

figs 29-31: Cirsotrema (Cirsotrema) amamiense Nakayama, 2000
height 9.1 mm; breadth 6.3 mm (holotype); fig. 31, base

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.
Cirsotrema amamiense T. Nakayama, 2000HolotypeNSMT-Mo 71409. Off Amami-Oshima Island, Kagoshima, Japan. 80-88m. [National Museum of Nature and Science, 2026: NSMT-Mo 71409].
Cirsotrema (Cirsotrema) amamiense Nakayama, 2000HolotypeNSMT Mo- 71409. off Amami O-shima Island, Japan. [R/V Tanseimaru, KT-92-2, STYT-1] 200m. [Brown & Neville, 2015: 36].NSMT Mo-71409. Off Amami-Oshima Island, Japan. [R/V Tansei-maru, KT-92-2, STYT-1] about 200m. 9.1mm. [Nakayama, 2000: 278].ParatypeND. Off Amami-Oshima Island, Japan. [R/V Tansei-maru, KT-92-2, STYT-1] about 200m. 6.2mm. [Nakayama, 2000: 278].TypeOff Amami O-shima Island, Japan. [Soyo-Maru, KT-92-2, STYT-1] about 200m. [Nakayama, 2003: 24].


Sowerby, G. B. II. (1873).
Species Image
pp: 280. Fig. 3.
Figs. 3-6. Cirsotrema (Cirsotrema) amamiense n. sp.
Species Image
pp: 280. Fig. 4-6.
Figs. 3-6. Cirsotrema (Cirsotrema) amamiense n. sp.
Nakayama, T. (2003).
Species Image
pp: 109. Plate 3. Fig. 29-31.
figs 29-31: Cirsotrema (Cirsotrema) amamiense Nakayama, 2000
height 9.1 mm; breadth 6.3 mm (holotype); fig. 31, base

Synonymy:

Cirsotrema (Cirsotrema) amamiense Nakayama, 2000 [Nakayama, 2000: 278; Nakayama, 2003: 24; Brown & Neville, 2015: 36]


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]
Nakayama, T. (2000). Descriptions of a New Subgenus,Fourteen New Species,and Thee Substituted Names of Epitoniids from Japan. VENUS. 59(4). Malacological Society of Japan. https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/venusjjm/59/4/59_KJ00004345136/_pdf [Accessed 24 August 2023]
Nakayama, T. (2003). A Review of Northwest Pacific Epitoniids. Monographs of Marine Mollusca. 6. Backhuys Publishers
National Museum of Nature and Science (2026). Collection database of specimens and materials: Mollusca. National Museum of Nature and Science Mollusca database. https://db.kahaku.go.jp/webmuseum_en/search?cls=col_a2_19 [Accessed 9 August 2026]
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