Charisma josephi

Lore & Background

The shell of Charisma josephi is thick, widely umbilicated, and obliquely turbinate. Its color is white and opaque, maculated with very pale chestnut. The five whorls are rounded and closely spirally striate, and the thick peristome is posteriorly produced. The species was originally described by Tenison-Woods in 1877 in a work on new Tasmanian marine shells. Subsequent references include a revised census by Tate and May in 1901, and works by Cotton in 1945 and 1959 on Southern Australian and South Australian gastropods.

Reader's Guide

Charisma josephi is a species of extremely small sea snail in the family Trochidae, known as top snails. Its significance lies in its restricted distribution: it is endemic to Australia, occurring off South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia. The species was first documented by Tenison-Woods in 1877, and later included in taxonomic works by Tate and May (1901) and Cotton (1945, 1959). The shell's small size (3 mm diameter) and distinctive features—thick, widely umbilicated, obliquely turbinate, with five rounded whorls and a posteriorly produced peristome—contribute to its identification. No further claims about its ecological role or conservation status are provided in the source article.

Did You Know?

• The shell diameter of Charisma josephi is 3 mm.
• It is endemic to Australia, found off South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia.
• The species was first described by Tenison-Woods in 1877.
• Its shell is white, opaque, and maculated with very pale chestnut.