Egg capsule of Nodilittorina unifasciata 113 
Figure 2. Pelagic egg capsules of Nodilittorina. A, М. cincta., B, М. antipoda., C, М. unifasciata. (A,B, after 
Pilkington, 1971). Scale 2 100 um. 
The similarity between the capsules of М. unifasciata and М. cincta, and their difference in shape 
to the capsule of N. antipoda is puzzling. One would expect that the egg capsules of the two 
Supposed subspecies of N. unifasciata would be similar in shape, and different from a second species. 
Certainly the studies of Japanese species (cited above), and of Caribbean species (Borkowski, 1971) 
Would suggest that egg capsule morphology is species specific (but see Reid, 1986 for contrary view). 
On the basis of these observations it would seem necessary to restudy the egg capsules of the New 
Zealand species. The close similarity in egg capsule morphology between the Australian М. 
unifasciata and the New Zealand N. cincta suggests that either a misidentification has occurred, or if 
Pilkington's observations are confirmed, that the two 'subspecies' of М. unifasciata are distinct 
Species. This would support Reid's listing (1989) of both N. unifasciata and М. antipoda as full 
Species (without discussion but on anatomical grounds — D.Reid; pers.com). 
Literature cited 
Bandel, K. & Kadolsky, D. 1982. Western Atlantic species of Nodilittorina (Gastropoda: Prosobranchia): comparative 
