About Herpetopoma aspersum (R.A.Philippi, 1846)
Herpetopoma aspersum is a marine species whose shell size ranges between 6 mm and 18 mm. The shell is solid and imperforate, with a globose-conic shape. It has a pinkish base color, sparsely marked with scattered reddish or blackish dots. The elevated spire is conical, and is constricted by deep, canaliculate sutures. The five convex whorls are encircled by closely beaded, equal-sized spirals. The interstices between these spirals are lamellose-striate. Typically, there are 9 spirals on the penultimate whorl, and 17 spirals on the body whorl counting the base. The body whorl is rounded. The aperture is also rounded. The thick outer lip is crenulate on the inside. The columella is concave, ends in a tiny tooth, and is bordered by a longitudinal groove. This species shows considerable variation in how elongated the shell is: some individuals have a high, subscalariform shell. The most noticeable distinguishing features of this species are the number of lirae on the penultimate whorl, the equal size of these lirae, and the shell's coloration. This marine species is found off the coasts of South Australia, Tasmania, and the Solomons.
