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PYRAMIDELLIDAE |
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Sayella abjecta (Hedley, 1909) Description: Shell small, wide and short, spire strongly convex, up to 5 whorls. Protoconch infolded. Teleoconch whorls weakly to strongly convex, with last half-whorl markedly narrower than upper whorls, surface smooth and polished, without sculpture, suture impressed. Aperture wide, nearly oval, weak columella plait (not visible in image due to orientation of shell). Colour translucent yellow brown to reddish brown, occasionally with 2 rows of rectangular chestnut patches; shell becoming opaque with age. Size: Up to 3 mm in length, usually less than 2 mm. Distribution: The species was first recognised from Hope Island, north Qld. The only other recognised specimens are from Sydney Harbour; they were named Odostomia leopardis Laseron, 1951, but appear to be the same species. Habitat: Laseron (1951, p. 308) reported it as "alive on sea-weed, 4 fathoms off Woollahra Point, Port Jackson". Very uncommon. Synonymy: Odostomia leopardis Laseron, 1951 is a previously recognised synonym. Fig. 1: Woollahra Point, Rose Bay, Sydney Harbour (C.105383 Holotype of Odostomia leopardis). Photo Australian Museum. |
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