Epitoniidae 113 



cylindrical tentacles. 



This is a marine member of the family, usually found among 

 sea grasses at moderate depths. 



Order 3IES0GASTEK0P01)Ai96 



Family EPITONIIDAE 



All seas afford habitats to members of this widely distributed 

 family, but the greatest number and diversity of species are found 

 in West Indian waters. They are predatory, carnivorous animals, 

 usually frequenting sandy stations where abundance of animal 

 food is available. The cephalic end of the mollusk bears two long, . 

 pointed, mobile tentacles, an invaginable trunk and two black 

 eyes placed on the summits of small tubercles at the outer bases of 

 the tentacles. 



The shells are turriculate, usually white and polished, with 

 many convex ribbed whorls which gradually and regularly increase 

 in size from apex to base. The aperture is nearly circular with a 

 thickened, reflected lip which will eventually become a new varix. 

 Base is perforate, but umbilicus is usually concealed by an expansion 

 of the inner margin. The thin, corneous operculum entirely closes 

 the aperture. 



Genus EPITONIUM Roding, 1798 

 Subgenus NITIDOSCALA"^ (je Boury, 1909 

 EpitonJum angnlatumiss (Say) PI. 46, fig. 319 



Alt., 19 mm. Shell white, polished, apex sharp, nuclear whorls 

 rounded, smooth; from seven to eleven convex whorls, not in con- 

 tact; about nine equidistant, rather thick, longitudinal, lamellar 

 ribs continuous over sutures and angulated at sutural line; aperture 

 rounded, with a reflected, lamellar border. 



Epitonium candeainimi99(d'0rbigny)(£'. "dcnticulatum Sow."')Pl. 22, fig. 145 



Alt., 18 mm. Shell white, not polished; apex acute, nuclear 



whorls smooth; about eight convex whorls, not in contact and spirally 



striate, with microscopic engraved, longitudinal lines which do not 



i^** Gr., mesos, meso, middle. 



^9" Lat., nitidus, nitido, shining; scalae, ladder. 



19^ Gr., cpitonion, peg, turncock ; Lat, angulatus, angled. 



189 Named for Ferdinand de Cande. 



