Description
Newcomb's snail is unique among the Hawaiian lymnaeids in that the shell spire typically associated with lymnaeids is substantially reduced. The result is a nearly smooth, brown to black shell formed by a single, oval whorl, 6 mm (0.25 inch) long and 3 mm (0.12 inch) wide.
The shell is semi-globose, thin, horny, olivaceous, longitudinally finely striated. The spire is very short, obtuse. The apex is rather eroded. The last whorl is ventricose. The aperture is large and semi-ovate. The inner-lip is posteriorly ascending on the body whorl. The columella is straight, excavated, and with a curved, elevated, external ridge continued in front into the outer lip which is simple and acute.
The jaw is low, wide, slightly arcuate, ends pointed; a decided median projection to the cutting edge. The anterior surface of the jaw is smooth.
The radula is as usual in the Helicidae. The central tooth is long and narrow, small in proportion to the laterals, the reflected portion has one long median cusp, the side cusps being subobsolete. The lateral teeth are wide, broad as long, the reflected portion almost as large as the whole base of attachment, and tricuspid, the inner cusp very small, the median cusp large and bluntly truncated, the outer cusp smaller than the median and bluntly pointed. The marginal teeth are subquadrate, wider than high, the apex reflected, obliquely produced and bearing five or more blunt, short denticles, of which the inner two are the largest.
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