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Polinices simiae (Deshayes in Deshayes & Edwards, 1838)

Description: Shell light in weight. Body whorl inflated, about seven-eights length of the shell. Shell smooth, apart from fine growth lines. Colour white with spiral bands of squarish brown blotches; callus and columella brown. Umbilicus almost or completely closed by callus. Operculum corneous.

Size: Up to 38 mm in length, commonly about 30 mm.

Distribution: Tropical Indo-West Pacific; in Australia, from Shark Bay, WA, to Bermagui, NSW.

Habitat: Intertidal sand flats. Uncommon in NSW.

Comparison: Both Mammilla melanostomus Gmelin and Mammilla melanostomoides Quoy & Gaimard are very similar to this species, but both are tropical Indo-Pacific species and are not known as far south as NSW.

Synonyms: Mammilla propesimiae Iredale, 1929; Mammilla plumatilis Iredale, 1936

Figs. 1,2: Port Stephens, NSW (C.020069)

 


Copyright Des Beechey 2000