Euspira nitida (Donovan, 1804) — Fig. 9A

Nerita nitida Donovan 1804. The natural history of British Shells. 5 vols. 1799–1804, Vol. 4, pl. 144 (1804)

+ Natica mammilla Maton & Rackett, 1807 [non mammilla Linnaeus, 1758].

+ Natica mammilla Dillwyn, 1817 [non mammilla Linnaeus, 1758].

+ Natica poliana Delle Chiaje, 1826, pl. 55, figs. 12, 13. Sabelli et al. (1990), p. 171

+ Polinices pulchellus (Risso, 1826). Kingsley-Smith et al. 2005

+ Lunatia pulchella (Risso, 1826), Terreni (1981), p. 31

+ Natica glaucina Risso, 1826 [non glaucina Linnaeus, 1748]. Hidalgo (1917), pp. 479, 484

+ Natica glaucina Maravigna, 1836 [non glaucina Linnaeus, 1758]. Fernandes & Rolán (1993), p. 3

+ Euspira intermedia Philippi, 1836. Hidalgo (1917), pp. 479, 484; Fernandes & Rolán (1993), p. 3

+ Euspira intermedia Philippi, 1836 [non intermedia Deshayes, 1832]. Sabelli et al. (1990), p. 171

+ Natica marochiensis sensu Philippi, 1836 [non marochiensis Gmelin, 1791]. Tryon (1886), p. 41, pl. 6, fig. 13, 15; Kobelt (1901), pp. 93–96, pl. 54, figs. 12–15, Sabelli et al. (1990), p. 171

+ Natica (Naticina) alderi (Forbes, 1836). Kobelt (1901), p. 95, pl. 54, figs. 12–15; Sabelli et al. (1990), p. 171

+ Natica similis Koch, 1844

+ Natica lamarckiana Leach, 1852

+ Natica marochiensis Petit, 1852 [non marochiensis Gmelin, 1791]. Settepassi (1971), p.8, pl. 2

+ Natica parvula Tapparone-Canefri, 1869. Settepassi (1971), p. 13, pl. 1; Fernandes & Rolán (1993), p. 3

+ Natica lactea (Marshall, 1875). Tryon (1886), pp. 40–41

+ Natica alexandriae "Récluz " Sowerby, 1883.

+ Natica americana "Récluz" Sowerby, 1883. [= nitida? fide Sowerby (1883), p. 101]

+ Natica neustriaca Locard, 1886. Kobelt (1901), pp. 93–96, pl. 54, figs. 12–15; Settepassi (1971), pp. 7–9, pl. 2

+ Natica complanata Locard, 1886. Kobelt (1901), pp. 93–96, pl. 54, figs. 12–15

+ Lunatia alderi (Forbes, 1836). Nordsieck (1982), p. 105, pl. 16, fig. 63

+ Natica (Lunatia) poliana (Delle Chiaje, 1826). Settepassi (1972), p. 7, pl. 2; Sabelli et al. (1990), p. 171

+ Lunatia poliana (Delle Chiaje, 1826). Sabelli & Spada (1977), p. 2, pl. 1, fig. 4; Schiró (1977b), p. 16, fig. 2 (p. 17, third row); Riedel (1983), p. 287, pl. 98, Barash & Danin (1992), p. 105–106

Euspira nitida (Donovan, 1804). Sabelli et al. (1990), p. 171; Fernandes & Rolán (1993), p. 3; Demir (2002), p. 110 Description

Size: Up to 19.9 mm m.o.d. (Bretagne, France; MHC #030511.21). Specimens (n = 7) from Giglio Island: 6.2– 10.9 (mean: 8.7 ± 0.7 mm) height; 5.4–9.2 mm (mean: 7.8 mm ± 0.6 mm) width. Ratio [h/w] = 1.1 ± 0.01. Aperture approximately 67% of shell height. The planctonic larval shell has a diameter of approx. 200 µm (Thorson 1946, Kingsley-Smith 2005).

General shape: Conical, solid, 5.5 spiral whorls [teleoconch: 3].

Sculpture: Minute axial growth striae.

Shell color: Glossy, yellowish or reddish-brown zones on white background; five bands on lighter colored background with brown marks: a double band separated by a whitish zone below the suture, two smaller bands in the middle of body whorl, one bordering the umbilicus; upper band darkest of the five, 3rd and 4th with true arrowhead marks; parietal callus colored dirty reddish to brownish.

Protoconch: Slightly yellowish; conical, elevated apex, 2.5 embryonal whorls.

Aperture & outer lip: Aperture half-moon shaped, oblique, angled at top, well rounded at bottom; external lip simple, sharp.

Umbilical area: Umbilicus deeply open anteriorly, whitish, with brownish border; no funicle evident; parietal callus connects to columellar callus without sulcus, covering umbilical area triangularly from above, columellar callus tapering towards basal lip.

Operculum: Corneous, honey-colored.

Egg mass: Flexible, coiled, paucispiral band of mucus-cemented sand grains with outwardly cambered walls; 1.5 circles; outer diameter approx. 30 mm (Ziegelmeier 1961 –1963, fig. 5, p.101). Animal: Propodium and mesopodium colored identically; whitish background covered with irregular, fuzzy, reddish or light-brownish lines and blotches; tentacles short, colored reddish, dotted irregularly in white; propodium half the length of the shell, mesopodium 1.5 times shell length; both equal in width; animals cover lower parts of their shells with mesopodium.

Differential diagnosis: This species can most easily be identified by its distinct pattern of five bands of color marks combined with an umbilicus bordered by a brown-colored ridge and lacking a sharply carved-out umbilical canal or furrow.

Geographical distribution

Giglio Island: Campese Bay (1), Secca di Secche (3), Cala dell´Allume (4). General distribution: Atlantic Ocean and North Sea from Norway, United Kingdom (Kingsley-Smith et al. 2005) to Gibraltar (Schiró 1977), common throughout the entire Mediterranean.