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ELLOBIIDAE |
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Ophicardelus sulcatus H. & A. Adams, 1854 Description: Shell usually very eroded, with early whorls missing. Spire weakly convex, whorls flat or weakly rounded. Last whorls sculptured with spiral cords either restricted to top half of whorl (as in the illustrated shell) or covering whole whorl. Aperture about 50% of total shell length; inner lip of aperture with 2 sharp folds, sometimes a spiral cord originating at upper fold. Umbilicus open or covered by columellar callus. Outer lip thin and sharp, becoming slightly thickened with maturity. Colour dark brown with fawn spiral bands. Size: Up to 15 mm in length. Distribution: Endemic to Australia: Cooktown, Qld, southwards to Lakes Entrance, Vic. Habitat: Lives on mud, logs and other solid objects among mangroves and in salt marshes in the upper littoral. Common to abundant. This species is less tolerant to low salinity than Ophicardelus ornatus and Pleuroloba quoyi, so is found lower down on the shore. Fig. 1: Bermagui River, NSW (C.309670). |
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