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Zella beddomei (Petterd, 1884) Description: Shell long and slender, semi-translucent, aperture about 1/4 of shell length; whorls convex, sometimes concave below suture. Axial sculpture absent. Spiral sculpture of about 10 cords on base. Outer lip expanded, thickened along whole length externally, sinuous in profile with a posterior sinus; smooth internally. Columella smooth. Anterior canal slightly upturned, notch moderately deep. Colour white, fawn or tan, with a darker band below the suture. Size: Up to 9 mm in length, commonly about 7 mm. Distribution: Endemic to Australia; Wide Bay, Queensland, southwards to South Australia, including Tasmania. Habitat: Subtidal. In NSW it lives in bays and harbours and on the open coast, known to 128 m, but most commonly from 10-50 m; common as empty beach shells. In South Australia it is recorded as being most common in 200-300 m (Verco, 1910). Common. Synonymy: Known in early Australian literature as Columbella attenuata Angas, 1871, but that name was preoccupied. Remarks: This species is like a miniature Terebra At first sight it species appears to have a smooth ridge below the suture, but on closer inspection this is seen to be the zone where the whorls overlap, forming a darker and less translucent band. It is not seen on shells that have become opaque with age. Fig. 1: Middle Harbour, NSW (C.372530) |
