This species has several strong spiral ridges on the shell. Its maximum length is about 4.2 mm.
The penis is simple in all Hemistomia species.
Hemistomia whiteleggei (Brazier, 1889)
Class Gastropoda
Infraclass Caenogastropoda
Order Littorinida
Suborder Rissoidina
Superfamily Truncatelloidea
Family Tateidae
Genus Hemistomia Crosse, 1872
Original name: Bythinella whiteleggei Brazier,1889. In Brazier, J. (1889) Mollusca. Australian Museum Memoir 2: 22-30, plts 4-5.
Type locality: "Creek to the north of Old Settlement", Lord Howe Island.
Living in sediments below the surface in small stream that dries on the surface. It is assumed that like most tateids, the Lord Howe Island Tateidae feed on bacteria, microscopic algae, diatoms and possibly decaying vegetation.
Lower freshwater reaches of streams behind Old Settlement Beach, Lord Howe Island.
This species was presumed to be extinct, (Ponder, 1982) but was rediscovered in 1985.The pronounced spiral ribs of this species make it distinct from all other species.
Iredale, T. (1944). The land Mollusca of Lord Howe Island. Australian Zoologist 10: 299-334, pls XVII-XX.
Ponder, W. F. (1982). Hydrobiidae of Lord Howe Island (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Prosobranchia). Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 33: 89-159.
