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Amalda rubrofasciata Ninomiya, 1991

Description: Shell slender, often translucent, aperture length about one-half of total shell length.  Spire calloused, callus terminating in front of the aperture; suture concealed by callus.  Spire whorls weakly to strongly spirally ribbed, ribs ending in front of the aperture. Body whorl with calloused subsutural band, edged by weak ridge below.  Non-calloused part of body whorl with microscopic axial and spiral striae.  Columella pillar with about five plaits; fasciolar band with weak central ridge, upper half flat and smooth, lower half rounded; ancillid band not excavated, bordered by a groove above. Non-calloused area of body whorl off-white; subsutural band tan, either continuous, or usually, broken into rectangular patches, these usually not reaching the sub-sutural groove.  Area above the ancillid groove, the ancillid band, and top half of anterior fasciole often weakly suffused with tan. Pillar area white.  Operculum brown, corneous.

Size: Up to 19 mm in length.

Distribution: Endemic to Australia : Townsville, northern Queensland , to Sydney, NSW.

Habitat: Known from 6-201 metres.  Uncommon.

Comparison: This species is very similar to A. edithae, but differs by having the ancillid band not excavated, and subtle differences in coloration; it never has the axial zigzag lines seen on some specimens of A. edithae, and the marking on the base are always faint and indistinct, not the well defined band seen in A. edithae.

Figs. 1,2: Off Tweed Heads, NSW (C.168718)

 


Copyright Des Beechey 2004