Genus Zebittium Finlay, 1926.
Type Cerithium exilis Hutton.

Zebittium editum n. sp. (Fig. 15).

Shell small, elongated, spirally ribbed with narrow interspaces. Whorls 9, including a small smooth dome-shaped protoconch of one whorl. Spire high, about three times height of aperture. First post-nuclear whorl with two prominent spiral cords and second with the addition of a spiral thread at lower suture. The spiral cords are situated on the lower part of each whorl. On the third post-nuclear whorl two smaller cords appear on the upper part of the whorl and increase to three on the fourth whorl. The main cords gradually become stronger and two small interstitial threads appear, one above the lower main cord and the other between it and the sutural thread. The fifth post-nuclear whorl has four moderately strong cords between the upper main cord and the upper suture, an interstitial cord between the two main cords and another between lower main cord and sutural thread. On the body-whorl two additional strong cords appear immediately below lower suture and serve to mark off the base. The base is smooth above but sculptured around the pillar with five closely spaced flat-topped cords. All the whorls with the exception of protoconch and first post-nuclear whorl are crossed by moderately strong fold-like axial costae, more prominent on the early whorls. These form slight rectangular shaped swellings where they are crossed by the main spiral cords. Aperture ovate, slightly channelled above, broadly rounded below and slightly excavated against the pillar in the form of a simple narrowly rounded anterior canal. Peristome discontinuous. Outer lip thin and sharp, sinuous, a broad shallow depression above and slightly protractive below.

Inner lip as a narrow moderately heavy callus extending from the suture right to base of pillar. Colour light brownish-buff.

Height, 6 mm.; diameter, 1.9 mm.

Holotype presented to the Auckland Museum; paratypes in author's collection.

Habitat, off Poor Knights Islands in 60 fathoms, N.Z. (dredged by Captain J. Bollons, per A. Hamilton collection).

This species differs from Z. exile (Hutton) in sculpture and height of spire relative to that of the aperture.