Relevant Synonyms Apicularia (Thapsiella) stricta Nordsieck, 1972 Misidentification Gibborissoa mirabilis Hornung and Mermod, 1926 [van Aarsten et al., 1989]  photo: J. J. van Aartsen

SHORT DESCRIPTION Shell small, translucent, high spired, nearly three times as long as broad, of 8-9 slightly convex whorls. Sculpture of shallow, poorly defined, punctured spiral grooves narrower than the interspaces. Embryonic whorls completely smooth. Spire with approximately one thick varix per whorl, body whorl also with a varix. Aperture with a thin outer lip, rounded anteriorly. Columella thin, rather straight. color : pale brownish tan background with irregular, narrow dark brown axial lines, the varixes whitish. common size : 4.8 mm. DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS This variable species somewhat resembles Diala semistriata, but the latter lacks varixes. It is not likely to be confused with any native species. The name here applied is retained following advice of Dr. van Aartsen, who studied the type material and Mediterranean material (van Aartsen, 2002). BIOLOGY / ECOLOGY Unknown. habitat : unknown.

1st Mediterranean record Israel, 1989 [1970]. DISTRIBUTION Worldwide: Indo-Pacific, cannot be established accurately due to taxonomic uncertainties; recorded in the Red Sea and in the Great Bitter Lake of the Suez Canal (van Aartsen, 2002). Mediterranean: recorded first in 1970 as Gibborissoa mirabilis from Israel (van Aartsen et al., 1989); then at Kizkalezi, southeastern Turkey in 1997 (van Aartsen, 2002). ESTABLISHMENT SUCCESS Rare, but there are several reliable occurrences. speculated reasons for success : - MODE OF INTRODUCTION Via the Suez Canal. IMPORTANCE TO HUMANS None.

KEY REFERENCES Nordsieck F., 1972. Marine Gastropoden aus der Shiqmona Bucht in Israel. Archiv fur Molluskenkunde, 102: 227-245. van Aartsen J.J., Barash A, and Carrozza F., 1989. Addition to the knowledge of the Mediterranean mollusca of Israel and Sinai. Bollettino Malacologico, 25(1-4): 63-76. van Aartsen J.J., 2002. Indo-Pacific migrants into the Mediterranean. 1. Gibborissoa virgata (Philippi, 1849). La Conchiglia, 303: 56-58.   FEEDBACK / COMMENTS TO AUTHORS

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