Epitoniidae Berry, 1910 (1812)

Epitonium abyssicola

(Schepman, 1909)

Description:

Dimensions range from 14 mm - 14.5 mm high and 5 mm wide.
Width to height ratio: 0.36:1 ~ 0.34:1

Shell: pyramidal; small. Exterior colour whitish. About 8 whorls. Umbilicate: partially covered by columellar callous. Approximately 18 costae on the body whorl. Costae are thin, margins serrated. Costae with a spine at the shoulder; slightly reflected. Intercostal spaces with some spiral striae and fine growth-striae. Base regular, rounded. Columella margin broadly reflected over the umbilicus. Aperture circular.

Distribution:

Indonesia

Habitat:

794 m

Etymology:

[greek] from abyssus= abyss, bottomless, deep sea and [latin] -cola, a suffix meaning 'one who resides in. This can be translated as 'deep-sea dweller', possibly in reference to the depth at which the shell was found.

Type Material:

Syntypes: ZMA for Epitonium abyssicola (Schepman, 1909) - Locality: Station 45, 07° 24'S, 118° 15.2'E, Flores Sea, Sumatra, 794 m, fine grey mud.. [Brown, L. & Neville, B.D., 2015]

SpeciesImage

Schepman, M.M. (1909). Plate XV. Fig. 2.

Distribution

as listed in source literature

Schepman, M.M. (1909).

Species Image

Plate XV. Fig. 2.

Species Image

pp: 226.

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]
Schepman, M.M. (1909). The Prosobranchia of the Siboga Expedition. Part 2. Taenioglossa and Ptenoglossa. E.J. Brill,Leyden. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/34314807 [Accessed 27 July 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