Melanella archeyi is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Eulimidae. The species is one of many species known to exist within the genus, Melanella. Finlay, 1928. Spencer H.G., Willan R.C., Marshall B.A. & Murray T.J. (2011) Checklist of the Recent Mollusca Recorded from the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone. Online http://www.molluscs.otago.ac.nz/. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=598708 on 2013-03-26.Warén A. (2011). Checklist of Eulimidae. pers. com.
Description The length of the shell attains 5.75 mm, its diameter 2.25 mm.
(Original description) The small shell is subulate and perfectly straight. It has a semi‑transparent, polished surface. An outer layer of milky‑white, watery appearance covers the shell, and where this layer is worn off the underlying surface is exposed. A few discontinuous, very inconspicuous varices occur on the right side of the shell. The spire is three to four times the height of the aperture. The embryo is globular and obtuse. There are nine whorls, which increase regularly, are almost flat, bulge slightly near the lower suture, and render the base strongly convex. The suture is submargined by a more opaque band. The aperture is shortly and broadly pyriform and somewhat effuse below. Both the outer and basal lips are rather strongly convex. The columella and inner lip stand vertically, are slightly separated from the base, but do not form an umbilicus.
Distribution This marine species is endemic to New Zealand and occurs off Stewart Island and Chatham Islands
References
Marshall, B.A. 1997 A luminescent eulimid (Mollusca: Gastropoda) from New Zealand, Molluscan Research, 18 ( Spencer, H.G., Marshall, B.A. & Willan, R.C. (2009). Checklist of New Zealand living Mollusca. Pp 196-219. in: Gordon, D.P. (ed.) New Zealand inventory of biodiversity. Volume one. Kingdom Animalia: Radiata, Lophotrochozoa, Deuterostomia. Canterbury University Press, Christchurch.
External links Spencer H.G., Willan R.C., Marshall B.A. & Murray T.J. (2011). Checklist of the recent Mollusca recorded from the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone