''Mitromorpha hewitti'' is a species of

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

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 in the family

Mitromorphidae Mitromorphidae is a monophyletic family of small to medium-sized sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Conoidea.Bouchet, P. (2011). Mitromorphidae Casey, 1904. In: MolluscaBase (2018). Accessed through: World Register of Marin ...

. This species was originally named ''

Mitromorpha volva ''Mitromorpha volva'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Mitromorphidae. Description The length of the shell attains 6 mm, its diameter 2¼ mm. (Original description) The white shell has an elongate-fusifo ...

'' var. G.B. Sowerby III by E. Smith in the Journal of Malacology, xi, p. 31, pi. ii, f. 13, but Smith didn't describe it as distinct. J.R. Tomlin described it as ''Antimitra (?) hewitti'' but also indicated that the correct usage of the generic name ''Mitromorpha'' is pointed out in Proceedings of the Malacological Society of London, vol. xii, p. 32S,

Description

The length of the shell attains 7 mm, its diameter 2.75 mm. (Original description) The ribs are broader, flatter, further apart than in ''Mitromorpha volva'', and are more widely spaced on the upper half of the basal whorl than elsewhere. There are four ribs on the penultimate

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 ...

, and sixteen to seventeen on the

body whorl The body whorl is part of the morphology of the shell in those gastropod mollusks that possess a coiled shell. The term is also sometimes used in a similar way to describe the shell of a cephalopod mollusk. In gastropods In gastropods, the b ...

, as against five to seven and at least twenty-one respectively in volva. The interstices show distinct axial sculpture, consisting of fine raised lines very close together, with numerous more prominent ones occurring very irregularly. All the ribs on the last three whorls are more or less evidently and regularly spotted with brown. This is particularly noticeable on the peripheral rib, which is broader than the rest and traceable on the two whorls preceding the body whorl.Journal of conchology. v. 15–16 (1916–1922)
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Distribution

This marine species was found off

Port Alfred A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ha ...

, South Africa.

References

* Tomlin, JR le B. "Six new marine shells from South Africa." Journal of Conchology 16.7 (1921): 215–217. * Steyn, D.G. & Lussi, M. (1998) ''Marine Shells of South Africa. An Illustrated Collector’s Guide to Beached Shells''. Ekogilde Publishers, Hartebeespoort, South Africa, ii + 264 pp. page(s): 156

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Mitromorpha Hewitti Endemic molluscs of South Africa hewitti Gastropods described in 1921