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Epidirona gabensis (Hedley, 1922) Description: Shell medium weight, with short anterior canal. Spire whorls sculptured with a strong spiral row of beads at centre and an unbeaded rib above the lower suture; weakly beaded rib sometimes present at upper suture; whole whorl sculptured with numerous fine spiral ribs. Body whorl below the periphery bears about 6 strong unbeaded spiral ribs with about 4 smaller ribs between. Axial sculpture restricted to fine growth lines. Columella and outer lip smooth; outer lip with deep rounded V shaped sinus with apex at periphery. Coloured with irregular, wide, axial brown and white bands, and an interrupted brown line below the suture. Size: Up to 30 mm in length. Distribution: Endemic to Australia; Sydney, NSW, to Westernport, Victoria. Habitat: Taken in 9-150 m. Uncommon. Comparison: The brown and white axial bands enable this species to be easily identified. Synonymy: Epidirona nodulosa Laseron, 1954 Remarks: The beads at the periphery vary considerably in strength and number, and are frequently obsolete on the last half of the body whorl of mature shells. Laseron described a form with particularly strong beads as Epidirona nodulosa Laseron, 1954, but examination of a series of specimens shows it to be within the range of variation of the species (NEW SYNONYM). Fig. 1: Bass Strait, off Westernport, Victoria (C.397088) Fig. 2: HOLOTYPE of Epidirona nodulosa Laseron, 1954. Off Crowdy Head, NSW, in 91 m (C.103548).
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