Epitonium scalare
| Epitonium scalare | |
|---|---|
| A shell of Epitonium scalare | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
| Family: | Epitoniidae |
| Genus: | Epitonium |
| Species: | E. scalare |
| Binomial name | |
| Epitonium scalare | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Epitonium scalare, common name the precious wentletrap, is a predatory or ectoparasitic species of marine gastropod with an operculum, in the family Epitoniidae, the wentletraps.
In the 17th and 18th century this was once considered to be a very rare shell and specimens changed hands for large sums of money. Johan de la Faille and Cosimo III de' Medici owned a wentletrap.
Its habitat is subtidal in sand.