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PYRAMIDELLIDAE |
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Pyrgulina ceria (Laseron, 1951) Description: Shell medium size, elongate, with spire nearly straight-sided, up to 5½ teleoconch whorls, last whorl half of total shell length. Protoconch infolded, type C. Whorls angled, sculptured with widely spaced axial folds with spiral threads in the interspaces. Aperture length 1½ times the width; columella with weak oblique plait. Shell white, covered by thick brown periostracum which peels off with age. Size: Up to 4.5 mm in length. Distribution: The Australian Museum holds specimens from Port Stephens, NSW, southwards to Port Hacking, Sydney. Habitat: Specimens are from beach washup and from dredgings down to 15 m. Most are from estuaries. There are quite a few lots from sand flats at Cabbage Tree Basin, Port Hacking. Uncommon. Remarks: This is the only NSW pyramidellid that I have seen with a periostracum. There is the possibility that it occurs in other species and wears or peel off after collection, but I have seen no such evidence in the Museum collection. Fig. 1: Cabbage Tree Basin, Port Hacking, NSW (C.341526). Periostracum is peeling off. |
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