|
< Previous species |
EULIMIDAE |
|
|
|
Melanella spina (Boettger, 1893) Description: Shell moderately small with protoconch small and tall, spire slightly or strongly bent. Whorls weakly convex, suture poorly defined. Scars from position of outer lip, one per whorl, aligned from whorl to whorl. Aperture moderately broad, one-quarter of shell length; inner lip not reflected over base. Outer lip thickened internally, convex in profile, with a shallow sinus at top. Shell colourless-transparent or translucent white, polished, glossy. Size: Up to 5 mm in length. Distribution: Reported from the Indo-West Pacific. Specimens seen from New Caledonia and eastern Australia, from tropics to Iluka, NSW. Habitat: NSW specimens are from beach washup. Parasitic on several species of holothurians (sea cucumbers) (Warén, 1984). Common in Queensland, uncommon in NSW. Comparison: Similar to M. obtusa, but wider with a smaller protoconch. Fig. 1: Lizard Is., Queensland. On Holothuria leucospilota (C.134502) |
|
