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Bedeva paivae (Crosse, 1864)

Description: Shell with sharply angled body whorl, with about 15 spiral ribs below the shoulder and 3 to 5 above, sometimes with smaller intermediate ribs. Spaces between the ribs, and sometimes the ribs themselves, scaly. There are about 9 broad axial folds. Outer lip with 6 or 7 teeth in mature shells; columella smooth. Colour brown, often with a white line at the shoulder. Aperture white to purple, operculum corneous.

Size: Average length 20 mm, maximum 32 mm.

Distribution: Endemic to Australia; Cairns, Qld, to Shark Bay, WA, including Tas. Also occurs in eastern Cape Province of South Africa, the Canary Islands and Madeira, apparently accidentally transported there by shipping (Houart & Abreu, 1994).

Habitat: Intertidal under rocks, among mussel or oyster beds, or in seagrass beds, particularly in estuaries. Feeds on mussels or oysters by drilling holes. Common.

Synonym: Bedeva hanleyi (Angas, 1867)

Fig. 1,2: Tuross River, NSW (C.163442)

Copyright Des Beechey 2000