Epitonium muricatum (Risso, 1826)
Mediterranean. Possibly also in the Red Sea.
Predator and parasit of some sea-anemones and corals in the infralittoral and circalittoral. Planktotrophic.
Original taxon: Scalaria muricata.
17m deep, Maslinova Bay, northwestern coast of Brač island, Split-Dalmatia Comitat, S. Croatia. 6,3mm. Original pictures provided by R. Stanić (HR) – (CC BY-NC-SA).
Scalaria muricata in A. Risso: Histoire naturelle des principales productions de l’Europe méridionale… vol. IV, Paris 18826, plate IV fig.45.
 
Protoconch multispiral, white matte to glossy brown, with no marked sculpture except, sometimes, thin undulating radials. Teleoconch: whorls 6-7, convex, smooth, with a deep suture; radial sculpture made up of circa 12 sharp lamellae per whorl, equally separate from each other, with a subsutural spiny projection; colour of a pale fawn, with occcasionally a pattern of darker blotches arranged in a double spiral that can stain both whorls and lamellae.
Synonyms: aculeatus, cantrainei….
No spiral scupture. The radials are slightly prosocline to orthocline. 85-100m deep, Bari, Puglia, S. Italy. 5mm.
18m deep, Makarac Bay, western extremity of Brač island. 3,4mm. Original pictures provided by R. Stanić (HR).
– (CC BY-NC-SA) –
50-80m deep, on bioclastic bottom, Motril, Granada, Andalucia, S. Spain. 4,7mm.
Above and bellow: 80m deep, on thin gravel, Hvar channel, Split-Dalmatia Comitat, S. Croatia. 3,9mm.
This specimen bears some faint radials on its protoconch.
Young specimen from the same spot. 1,75mm.

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