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Additional Photos
underside
cluster
shell
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Melampus castaneus (Muhlfield, 1816)
Maximum size: 13 mm (Kay,
1979).
Identification:
This species has a conical, chestnut-brown shell with a white aperture
(when mature). It may appear smooth or faintly striate. There are
several folds inside the outer lip and three on the columella.
Natural history:
Shells of Melampus castaneus
are moderately common in beach drift. Live animals may be found under
rocks in the supraspray zone. It is usually the most common
ellobiid at Maui sites, sometimes occurring in dense colonies.
Distribution:
Big Island, Maui, Molokai, Oahu and Kauai: widely distributed in the western and central
Pacific.
Taxonomic notes:
This species is listed in Severns, 2011 as Melampus castanea. It's also illustrated as Melampus semiplicata in Morris, 1974.
Photo: CP:
about 9 mm shell length: Hekili Point, Maui; Oct. 10, 2009.
Observations and comments:
Note
1: ( )
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