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1895-1.JPG (137242 bytes)

 

 

Dentimargo mayii (Tate, 1900)

Diagnosis: Shell medium to moderately large, white, sometimes with three orange bands on the body whorl, biconic; spire tall; aperture moderately broad; lip thickened internally, denticulate internally in mature shells; external varix present; siphonal notch absent; posterior notch absent; columella with four strong plaits occupying more than half the aperture.

Size: Adults 9-16 mm in length.

Distribution: Australian Museum Collection: Sydney, NSW, to south-western WA, in 20-300 metres.  Moderately common.

Comparison: This is the largest species in the genus.  The spire is tall, but the other members of the genus have an even taller spire.

Remarks: Only a small proportion of the specimens seen have the three orange bands on the body whorl; it is not clear whether they occur on only some shells, or have faded on dead specimens.  The denticles inside the outer lip only occur on very mature specimens; some specimens with a moderately thickened inside of the outer lip are smooth.

Fig. 1: Off Eden, NSW (C.315320)

 


Copyright Des Beechey 2003