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TRIPHORIDAE |
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Seilarex turritelliformis (Angas, 1877) Description: Shell medium sized, dextral, very slender. Protoconch of 2¾ -3¼ whorls; first 1½ whorls with about 6 crisp zigzag spiral threads; subsequent whorls with axial riblets on upper half of whorl above a strong spiral cord. Teleoconch whorls strongly convex, with smooth spiral cords in 2 series; primary spirals, 5 per whorl, commencing immediately after protoconch; secondary spirals weaker, 1 between each primary spiral. Base without spiral cords. Outer lip thin and simple. Anterior canal a simple, wide notch. Colour of protoconch and first few whorls reddish brown; subsequent whorls yellowish brown. Size: Up to 14 mm in length. Distribution: Known from eastern Australia, from central Qld to central Vic and north-west Tas. Habitat: Known alive from algal washings intertidally and down to 10 m. Empty shells are common in beach washup and down to 50 m. Synonymy: Previously recognised synonyms are Cerithiopsis multilirata G.B. Sowerby III, 1894; Seila attenuata Hedley, 1900. Remarks: A similar species, Seilarex verconis Cotton, 1951, seems to occur in NT, Qld, WA and SA and can easily be confused with the current species. Figs. 1, 2: Middle Harbor, Sydney (C.032479) |
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