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Gibberula subbulbosa (Tate, 1878)

Diagnosis: Shell small in size, colourless transparent to opaque white; spire medium height, not immersed; outer lip thickened internally, lirate along upper two-thirds on the internal thickening, sometimes with weaker lirae extending a little into aperture; external varix absent; distinct siphonal notch present; posterior notch present but weak; columella multiplicate with total of 5-7 plaits/lirae.

Size: Adults 2.5 – 4 mm in length

Distribution: Australian Museum collection: Northern Queensland around southern Australia and Tasmania to North West Cape , WA .  Intertidal to 456 metres.  Common.

Comparison: Distinguised from G. agapeta by its smaller size and by its habitat.  This is a common beach species in NSW. (See Identification of beach specimens)

Synonymy: A synonym is Marginella beddomei Petterd, 1884 (Hewish in Wilson, 1994).

Fig. 1: Huskisson, Jervis Bay, NSW (C.313584). This is the specimen figured  by Laseron (1948, fig. 14).

Copyright Des Beechey 2004