Coverage

Sixty-one species of Pyramidellidae are treated here, which, with the additional species listed below, comprise the named species recorded from NSW. Judging by the collections of the Australian Museum, there is about a similar number of unnamed species in NSW. The named species are the most common and recognisable taxa while those yet to be named are the smaller and less common species, often represented in the Australian Museum collection by just a few specimens of each. More species so far known from the adjoining states of Victoria and Queensland will no doubt be found in NSW with further collecting.

The following six species have been recorded from NSW but have not been treated in detail here:

Pyrgiscus pinguis Laseron, 1951

The specimens sorted as this species in the Australian Museum collection do not match Laseron's figure. The type specimen is lost, making identification difficult.

Rugadentia doliae Laseron, 1951

This is known only from the syntypes, one of which is shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1: Between Sydney Heads, in 15 fathoms (27 m). SYNTYPE. (Photo Australian Museum).

Syrnola macrocephala Hedley, 1903

This is known only from the holotype, shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 2.: 63-75 fathoms (115–137 m) off Port Kembla, NSW (C.16336 HOLOTYPE). (Photo Australian Museum)

Rissosyrnola aclis (A. Adams, 1853)

This is a tropical Indo-West Pacific species. In Australia it is known from Qld, northern WA, and from two specimens from Sydney Harbour, which may be fossil.

Odostomia deplexa (Tate & May, 1900)

First described from Tasmania, this species has a southern Australian distribution. The Australian Museum holds 4 lots identified as this species from NSW, but they were on loan and not available for photography. The species was listed as occurring in NSW  by Jansen (1999), but it had not been included in the NSW fauna by Laseron (1951).

Pseudorissoina elegans Hedley, 1905

This is known only from the holotype (Fig. 3) and paratype.

Fig. 3: 12.5 miles (20 km) off Cape Byron, NSW, in 110 fathoms (201 m) (C.19907 HOLOTYPE). (Photo Australian Museum).