Herpetopoma mariae

Herpetopoma mariae is a species of marine gastropod mollusc in the family Trochidae, the top shells.

Distribution

This top shell is endemic to cape Maria van Diemen in the North Island of New Zealand.

Shell description

The shell is large for the genus, globose, lightly built, sculptured with numerous spiral ridges, separated by deep narrow interspaces, the whole crossed by dense lamellose axials. There is a single tubercle, more in the nature of a plait, near the base of the columella.

Coloration is uniformly creamy-white.

The maximum shell height is 12 mm, and width 10.5 mm.

References

• Powell A. W. B., William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland 1979 ISBN 0-00-216906-1