Epitonium scalare

Epitonium scalare
A shell of Epitonium scalare
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Family: Epitoniidae
Genus: Epitonium
Species:
E. scalare
Binomial name
Epitonium scalare
Synonyms[1]
  • Epitonium breve Röding, 1798
  • Epitonium gradatum Grabau & King, 1929
  • Epitonium laevis Grabau & King, 1929
  • Epitonium lineatum Röding, 1798
  • Epitonium medium Röding, 1798
  • Epitonium minor Grabau & King, 1929
  • Epitonium multivariciferum E. A. Smith, 1911
  • Epitonium principale Röding, 1798
  • Epitonium pygmaeum Grabau & King, 1929
  • Epitonium subtile Grabau & King, 1929
  • Scala pretiosa (Lamarck, 1816)
  • Scala scalaris (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Scalaria conica Lamarck, 1822
  • Scalaria pretiosa Lamarck, 1816
  • Scalaria scalaris (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Turbo scalaris Linnaeus, 1758

Epitonium scalare, common name the precious wentletrap, is a predatory or ectoparasitic species of marine gastropod with an operculum, in the family Epitoniidae, the wentletraps.[1]

In the 17th and 18th century this was once considered to be a very rare shell and specimens changed hands for large sums of money. Johan de la Faille and Cosimo III de' Medici owned a wentletrap.

Its habitat is subtidal in sand.

  1. ^ a b Rosenberg, G. (2010). Epitonium scalare (Linnaeus, 1758). In: Bouchet, P.; Gofas, S.; Rosenberg, G. (2010) World Marine Mollusca database. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=207942 on 2010-11-22