Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Mollusca
- Class: Gastropoda
- Clade: Caenogastropoda
- Superfamily: Conoidea
- Family: Raphitidae
- Genus: Nepotilla
- Species: Nepotilla finlayi (Powell, 1937)
Authority
The species was formally described by A. W. B. Powell in 1937. The specific epithet finlayi honors the New Zealand malacologist Harold John Finlay (1901–1951).
Description
Nepotilla finlayi is a minute marine gastropod. The shell is slender, elongate‑conical, and typically measures only a few millimetres in total length. It possesses a smooth protoconch followed by several teleoconch whorls marked by subtle axial ribs and fine spiral striations. The aperture is narrow, with a short, open siphonal canal characteristic of raphitid snails. Colouration is generally uniform, ranging from translucent white to pale brown.
Distribution and habitat
The species is endemic to the temperate marine waters of New Zealand. Specimens have been recorded from the northern and central South Island coasts, generally occurring at depths ranging from the shallow subtidal zone to about 200 m. N. finlayi inhabits sandy to muddy substrates, where it is presumed to be a micromolluscan predator or scavenger, typical of raphitid feeding habits.
Ecology
While specific ecological studies on N. finlayi are lacking, members of the family Raphitidae are carnivorous, employing a toxoglossan radula to capture small invertebrate prey. The species is presumed to follow a similar trophic strategy. Reproductive details are not documented; however, related raphitids are known to have planktotrophic larvae, suggesting a pelagic dispersal phase.
Conservation status
No formal assessment has been made for N. finlayi on the IUCN Red List. Its relatively restricted distribution and habitat specificity mean that localized environmental changes could potentially impact populations, but current data are insufficient to evaluate its conservation status.
References
- Powell, A. W. B. (1937). New Zealand molluscan systematics. Transactions of the Royal Society of New Zealand, 67, 31–54.
- World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS). Nepotilla finlayi (Powell, 1937). Accessed 2026.
- Spencer, H. G., Marshall, B. A., & Willan, R. C. (2009). Checklist of the Recent Mollusca Recorded from the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone. New Zealand Oceanographic Institute Technical Report, 30, 1–120.
Note: Information presented reflects current taxonomic consensus and published literature as of 2026.
