E. F. GarcIa 
Two new species of Epitonium 
and strongly sculptured. Whorls 10 to 11, convex and 
attached. Color a liât white to a light cream. Aperture 
subcircular, with both the palatal and pariétal margins 
thickened. The palatal or outer lip being greatly 
thickened in older specimens. Columella short and 
arched. Spire extended and produced at an angle of 
20°. Suture moderately impressed. Axial sculpture 
consisting of 8 or 9 flattened cord-like, slightly 
impressed costae which are rather variable as to width. 
Spiral sculpture consisting of 19 to 20 flattened ridges, 
those nearest the umbilical area being a little narrower. 
Basal ridge absent. Operculum thin, paucispiral and 
brown in color. Nuclear whorls 2 1/2 to 3,smooth and 
opaque” (Clench and Turner, 1952:318). 
Discussion. In their original description Clench and 
Turner (1952:318) described E. championi as having 
flattened, cord-like axial costae and flattened spiral 
ridges. Later on, in their “Remarks,” they elaborate on 
this distinctive sculpture, stating that it “appears much 
like a basket weave in which the upright and outer 
struts (the axial costae) arc woven tightly, causing the 
horizontal weave (the spiral ridges)to bulge outwardly 
between the struts” (p. 319). This peculiar character of 
the species is clearly seen on Fig. 4, a close-up of the 
holotype, and Fig. 12, a specimen dredged off Duval 
County, Florida. 
The authors subsequently State that E. championi 
“is perhaps a divergent element of E. candeanum, in 
which both axial and spiral sculpture hâve had an 
excess of development” (p. 319); however, E. 
candeanum has blade-like axial costae and a 
microsculpture of axial and spiral threads. Clench & 
Turner did not observe the presence of a 
microsculpture in the type material of E. championi, 
nor did 1 on examining them. This character was also 
lacking from ail the specimens examined, including 
those from northeast Florida (see Figs 4 & 12). The 
juxtaposition of E. candeanum and E. championi, i.e., 
blade-like vs. cord-like axial costae, has lead to the 
misidentification of the species described herein as E. 
leali, which does show the cord-like (although not 
very flattened) costae of E. championi but also a 
microsculpture between the axial éléments lacking in 
the latter. Other différences will be shown in the 
discussion of the former. 
The maximum reported size of E. championi is 
13.7 mm (Rosenberg, 2009); however, I hâve 
examined a specimen from the Houston Muséum of 
Natural Science ( No. 47484) that measures 17mm 
(Fig. 9). 
Although Dr. Lee’s collection shows that E. 
championi is well-represented in NE Florida, the 
specimens of Epitonium ”championi ” from the Gulf of 
Mexico that I hâve examined, as weli as the specimen 
shown in the Encyclopedia of Texas Seashells 
(Tunnell et al, 2010:190) are misidentifications. 
Epitonium leali n. sp. 
Figs 13-26, Table II 
Epitonium championi Clench & Turner, 1952- Garcia 
& Lee, 2002:11. 
Epitonium championi Clench & Turner, 1952- Lee, 
2009: 95, fig. 454. 
Epitonium championi Clench & Turner, 1952- 
Rosenberg et al., 2010:641. 
Epitonium tumtellula (Môrch, 1875)- Tunnell et al., 
2010: 193. 
Type material. Florida, Gulf County, St. Joe Bay, 
Palm Point, 29°48’29”"N 85°17’52”W. Holotype 
USNM 1 150471 length 9.7 mm, width 3.6 mm (Figs 
13-17) ;1 paratype SBMNH 149690 (Fig. 18); 1 
paratype BMSM 17956 1 paratype EFG 29966; 7 
paratypes HGL ail from the type locality. 
Type locality. Florida, Gulf County, St. Joe Bay, 
Palm Point, 29°48’29”"N 85°17’52”W. 
Other material examined. Puerto Rico: San Juan, 
Tsla Verde, 18° 25’ 39” N, 66° 0’ 36” W (Figs 24- 
26)(1 spec., HGL). Florida: Duval County, off Big 
Talbot I., 10-20 m (7 spec. HGL)(see Figs 19 and 20) ; 
Lee County, Sanibel lsland ,26 o 27’N 82 o 0r W (3 
spec.; BMSM 5687, BMSM 25698, BMSM 
25708)(see Fig. 21); west end of St, Vincent I., 29.66° 
N 85.13° W (HMNS 47413). Louisiana: Terrebonne 
Parish, Isles Derniers, 29°3’41.44”N, 90°57’1.5r’W 
(1 spec., HGL; 2 spec. EFG I0350)(see Fig. 23). 
Texas: Heald Bank 29°12.5’N, 92°10.8’W, 10-13 m 
(1 spec., EFG 12861); Nueces Co, Port Aransas, 27° 
50’ 1” N, 97° 3’ 39” W (2 spec., HGL)(see Fig. 22); 
San Luis Pass, Galveston, 29°5’2”N 95°7’12”W 
(HMNS 39743); 
Distribution. Puerto Rico, east Florida, west Florida, 
Louisiana, Texas. 
Figures 1-12. Epitonium) championi Clench & Turner 
1-5. Massachusetts, Cape Cod, Hayannis, Lewis Bay. Holotype MSZ 182900 length 11.5 mm,width 4.6 mm. 6. 
Massachusetts, Martha’sVineyard, off Gay head. Paratype, 5.9 mm. 7. Massachusetts, Martha’sVineyard, off ' 
Gay head. Paratype, 9.2 mm 8. Florida, Duval County, S.Jacksonville Beach, 4.6 mm (HGL) 9 New Jersev 
Stone Harbor, 39°02’8”N 74°46’03”W, 17 mm (HMNS 47484), 10. Florida, Duval Co., off Big Talbot lsland 
10-20 m, 8.4 mm (HGL). 11-12. Florida, Duval Co., off Big Talbot lsland, 10-20 m, 7.7mm (HGL) 
100 
