Epitonium clathratulum (Kanmacher, 1798)
Norway to Lusitanian seamounts and W. Mediterranean. The species finds its food from sea-anemones such as Anthopleura biscayensis (Fischer, 1874) in the intertidal (north, common) down to the continental shelf (south, rare) and the slope. Studies of dissected animals suggest that the Epitonium feeds possibly « on mucus-boluses such as are regularly ejected by sea anemones after feeding and digestion. These boluses, extruded from the gastric cavity through the mouth, generally contain partly digested and non-digestible matter, and are often contaminated with nematocysts and/or small fragments of filament. » – J. C. Den Hartog: “Observations on the Wenteltrap Epitonium clathratulum (Kanmacher, 1797) (Prosobranchia, Epitoniidae) and the Sea Anemone Bunodosoma biscayensis (Fischer, 1874) (Actiniaria, Actiniidae)”, Basteria vol. 51 (1987), p.101. In this case, this species could be not, or not only, a predator as previously assumed.

Above and below: a subadult from 30-40m deep, Marbella, Málaga, Andalucia, S. Spain. 3,2mm. No spiral scupture. The radials are slightly prosocline to orthocline.
Original taxon: Turbo clathratulus.
The shell of this Epitonium is close to those of pulchellum or spirilla but is a little more slender, and bears fewers lamellae. Protoconch without particular features.

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