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UNGULINIDAE |
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Microstagon adamsi (Angas, 1868) Description: Shape higher than wide, umbo on midline. Anterior-dorsal margin slightly concave, margin otherwise smoothly rounded. Lunule absent. Exterior glossy with microscopic commarginal ridges. Interior with elongate muscle scars, pallial line continuous, margin smooth. Hinge strong, with 2 cardinal teeth in each valve, of which 1 is bifid. Ligament short, internal. Shell colour white or pink. Periostracum thin, shiny, usually absent. Size: Up to 12 mm in height. Distribution: Endemic to Australia. Southern Qld, southwards and around southern Australia to south-western WA, including Tasmania. Habitat: Lives in sand on exposed and semi-exposed coasts, down to 85 m. This is one of the most common shells washed up on Sydney beaches. Synonymy: Microstagon jacksonensis (Angas, 1868) is probably a synonym of this species. It is reported as being pink in colour, but pink specimens of M. adamsi are common. The type specimens of M. jacksonensis are in the British Museum, and a comparison of the type with specimens of M. adamsi has never been reported in the literature. Huber (2015) synonymised Microstagon and Numella; the latter was a much more euphonious name in the present author’s opinion. Fig. 1: Cronulla Beach, Sydney, NSW (C.68659) |
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