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Circulus costulatus (Lea, 1843)

Circulus costulatus
Circulus costulatus

Scientific Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Littorinimorpha
Family: Vitrinellidae
Genus: Circulus
Species: Circulus costulatus (Lea, 1843)

Information

Geological Range

Neogene

Pliocene

Paleogeographic Distribution

Virginia

North Carolina

Stratigraphic Occurrences

Duplin Formation [Uncommon]
Yorktown Formation [Uncommon]

Remarks

Common name: n/a

Synonymy: n/a

Type specimen, locality, and stratum: n/a

Other voucher specimens: n/a

Descriptions:

First Description (from Lea, 1843, p. 260-261):

“Shell orbicular, depressed, thick, costate, striate; spire very short, acuminate, acute; sutures linear; whorls six, very convex, smooth and flattened above; costae transverse, small, numerous, polished; striae longitudinal, oblique, very minute; last whorl rounded; base costate, umbilicus large, deep, smooth within, mouth round, sub-canaliculate above.

Remarks - The longitudinal striae are so minute as to escape observation, unless assisted by a powerful microscope. They do not cross the ribs. The mouth is smooth within, and almost exactly round, except at its junction with the preceeding whorl, where there is a small channel.

This shell bears some resemblance to the Turbo lineatus, Lea, but is separated from that shell by its entire mouth, larger umbilicus, &c.

I have felt some doubt in placing this and two or three of the following shells in the genus Delphinula. Their general appearance would seem rather to make the approach the Turbo, but their entire mouths constitute them true Delphinulae. The genus Skenea, Fleming, seems well fitted to receive them, but it is described as having the ‘aperture dilated,’ a character which is wanting in the shells at present under consideration.”

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Measurements: n/a

Other remarks: n/a

References: n/a

Online resources: n/a

Page history:

Some of the content on this page was originally published on the Neogene Atlas of Ancient Life on February 1, 2015. It was developed by Jonathan R. Hendricks and colleagues and migrated here in 2026.

This page was last modified on October 28, 2026 by Jonathan R. Hendricks.

Media

Images

Circulus costulatus from the Late Pliocene Duplin Fm. of Duplin County, North Carolina (UF 82158).
Circulus costulatus from the Late Pliocene Duplin Fm. of Duplin County, North Carolina (UF 82158).
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Specimen of Circulus costulatus figured by Lea (1843, pl. 36, fig. 69); breadth .15 of an inch.
Specimen of Circulus costulatus figured by Lea (1843, pl. 36, fig. 69); breadth .15 of an inch.
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