Epitoniidae
Epitonium castum (A.Adams, 1873)
[Nagahime nejigai]
Description
Slightly glossy translucent white with plate like axial ribs. The spacies
between each axial ribs are smooth. Resembles Epitonium japonicum,
but spire of E. castum is high and fusiform. Resembles
Epitonium vigintifoliatum, but the number of axial rib in
E. castum is rather small.
*1
Locality
Japan:
Nagasaki, Setonaikai, Noto Peninsula,
Sagami Bay in 0m(fig. 1, 2), Mouth of Tokyo Bay in 0m(fig. 3, 4),
Boso Peninsula.
Original articles of scientific name
1873 Scalaria casta A.Adams in Sowerby, pl.11, fig.86.
Original of Japanese name
1909 Tomotaro Iwakawa.
Remarks
The "Catalogue of Japanese mollusca in the Natural History Department
Tomotaro Iwakawa(1919)" only lists Kumihama Kyohtango as the source of
E. castum. Other localities were apparently unknown at the time,
so I think the specimen from this locality probably became the basis
for the Japanese name. Incidentally, the locality listed in A. Adams'
paper is Japan, but the details are unknown. E. castum can now
be found more easily in Sagami Bay and the mouth of Tokyo Bay than
before, but good quality specimens are still scarce.
