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Eunaticina umbilicata (Quoy and Gaimard 1833) Description: Shell light in weight, flattened, body whorl expanded, aperture about three-quarters length of shell. Shell smooth or with very faint spiral sculpture; covered with brown periostracum when alive. Background colour white, with three spiral bands of brown spots or blotches which sometimes coalesce into wavy axial stripes. Umbilicus wide and open. Operculum corneous. Size: Up to 25 mm in length, usually about 15 mm. Distribution: Endemic to Australian; Sydney, NSW, to Fremantle, WA, including Tasmania. Habitat: Occasionally taken as a beach shell, but usually trawled, down to 150 m. Uncommon in NSW. Comparison: Similar to E. linnaeana, but readily distinguished by the much finer spiral sculpture and the presence of spiral brown bands. Synonyms: Iredale introduced the subspecific names Propesinum umbilicatum minusculum Iredale, 1924 for shallow water shells and Propesinum umbilicatum mimicum Iredale, 1924 for the shells from 50-70 fathoms, but the differences are minor and not sufficient for taxonomic separation. Figs. 1,2: Off North Head, Sydney, in 60-66 m (C.359788) |
