''Eucithara capillata'' is a small

sea snail Sea snail is a common name for slow-moving marine gastropod molluscs, usually with visible external shells, such as whelk or abalone. They share the taxonomic class Gastropoda with slugs, which are distinguished from snails primarily by the ...

, a

marine Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean. Marine or marines may refer to: Ocean * Maritime (disambiguation) * Marine art * Marine biology * Marine debris * Marine habitats * Marine life * Marine pollution Military * ...

gastropod The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda (). This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, from freshwater, and from land. T ...

mollusk Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is e ...

in the family

Mangeliidae Mangeliidae is a monophyletic family of small to medium-sized, predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Conoidea. Bouchet, P. (2011). Mangeliidae P. Fischer, 1883. In: MolluscaBase (2016). Accessed through: World Regis ...

.WoRMS (2009). Eucithara capillata (Hervier, 1897). In: MolluscaBase (2017). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=433698 on 2017-05-11

Description

The length of the shell varies between 5 mm and 8 mm. The shell has an oval-fusiform shape and is acuminate at both ends. The shell is rather thickened and is of a dull crystalline white color. The 4 to 5 top decurring striae are tinted brown on their ridge. These striae are rather fine. The shell is sculpted by vertical and decurrent ribs. These number 8 to 9 at the penultimate whorl. They are thick, prominent and low,. They are weak at the suture, where they originate, swell towards the middle of the

whorl A whorl ( or ) is an individual circle, oval, volution or equivalent in a whorled pattern, which consists of a spiral or multiple concentric objects (including circles, ovals and arcs). Whorls in nature File:Photograph and axial plane floral ...

, where they form (seen in profile) an obtuse angle, and terminate only at the base of the shell. The short and acuminate

spire A spire is a tall, slender, pointed structure on top of a roof of a building or tower, especially at the summit of church steeples. A spire may have a square, circular, or polygonal plan, with a roughly conical or pyramidal shape. Spires are ...

contains about 7 whorls, separated by a linear sinuate suture. The embryonic whorls are missing from the samples received; The upper whorls present a slightly convex profile, obtusely angular towards the base. The penultimate whorl is convex, the angulation occurs in the middle. The body whorl measures 2/3 of the total height. The dorsal part is mottled with pale yellow, and, on the last rib below the angle, one can see 3 dots of a slightly tinted fawn color. The

aperture In optics, an aperture is a hole or an opening through which light travels. More specifically, the aperture and focal length of an optical system determine the cone angle of a bundle of rays that come to a focus in the image plane. An opt ...

is semi-oval, directed slightly obliquely. The peristome is continuous; The inside is enamelled brilliant white. The very oblique columella is rectilinear, remarkably furrowed by a dozen folds. The outer lip has a convex profile, rather bulging, and is flexibly arcuate in the plane of the opening; It is thickened on the last rib. The sinus, situated obliquely a little below the suture, is rounded, and not deeply entering into the thickness of the outer lip.Hervier, J. 1898. ''Descriptions d'espèces nouvelles de Mollusques provenant de l'Archipel de la Nouvelle-Calédonie.'' Journal de Conchyliologie 45: 165-195, 249-266, pls 7-8
/ref>

Distribution

This marine species occurs off

New Caledonia ) , anthem = "" , image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of New Caledonia , map_caption = Location of New Caledonia , mapsize = 290px , subdivision_type = Sovereign st ...

, the Loyalty Islands, the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

and

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

(Australia).

References

* Hervier, J., 1897. Description d'espèces nouvelles de mollusques, provenant de l'archipel de la Nouvelle-Calédonie. Journal de Conchyliologie 45: 47-69 * Hervier, J., 1898 Description d'espèces nouvelles de mollusques, provenant de l'archipel de la Nouvelle-Calédonie (suite) Journal de Conchyliologie, 45"1897" 165-192 * Bouge, L.J. & Dautzenberg, P.L. 1914. ''Les Pleurotomides de la Nouvelle-Caledonie et de ses dependances.'' Journal de Conchyliologie 61: 123-214 * Fischer-Piette, E., 1950. Liste des types décrits dans le Journal de Conchyliologie et conservés dans la collection de ce journal (avec planches)(suite). Journal de Conchyliologie 90: 149-180

External links

Tucker, J.K. 2004 ''Catalog of recent and fossil turrids (Mollusca: Gastropoda)''. Zootaxa 682:1-1295.

Kilburn R.N. 1992. Turridae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) of southern Africa and Mozambique. Part 6. Subfamily Mangeliinae, section 1. Annals of the Natal Museum, 33: 461–575
*
Virginie, et al. "Mollusca of New Caledonia." Compendium of marine species of New Caledonia. Documents Scientifiques et Techniques II7, 2nd edn. IRD, Nouméa (2007): 199-254

MNHN, Paris: syntype
{{Taxonbar, from=Q10278000 capillata Gastropods described in 1897