Vexillum speciosum

Vexillum speciosum, common name : the specious mitre, is a species of small sea snail, marine gastropod mollusk in the family Costellariidae, the ribbed miters.[1]

Vexillum speciosum
Shell of Vexillum speciosum (specimen at Naturalis Biodiversity Center)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Neogastropoda
Superfamily: Turbinelloidea
Family: Costellariidae
Genus: Vexillum
Species:
V. speciosum
Binomial name
Vexillum speciosum
(Reeve, 1844)
Synonyms[1]
  • Mitra speciosa Reeve, 1844
  • Mitra pusio Philippi, R.A., 1850
  • Pusia pusio (L.A. Reeve, 1844)
  • Pusia trizonalis (L.A. Reeve, 1844)
  • Vexillum trizonalis Dautzenberg, Ph., 1935

Description

The shell size varies between 15 mm and 22 mm

(Original description) The shell is stoutly ovate, attenuated at both ends. It is transversely impressly striated and longitudinally ribbed, the ribs rather flat, granulated towards the base. The shel lis pinkish white, ribs stained with a very broad brown or purple-brown band, the apex pink. The columella is four-plaited, uppermost plate much the largest.

This shell, at first glance, has very much the appearance of Vexillum pulchellum, but upon closer examination it will be observed that the dark band which encircles the one is painted on the ribs only, whilst in the other it appears in the interstices only. [2]

Distribution

This species occurs in the Indian Ocean off Mozambique, Réunion, Mauritius, Chagos and the Mascarene basin; also off the Philippines, Hawaii,Tuamotu Archipelago and Australia (Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia).

References
  1. Vexillum (Pusia) speciosum (Reeve, 1844). Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 15 December 2010.
  2. Reeve, L. A. (1844-1845). Monograph of the genus Mitra. In: Conchologia Iconica, or, illustrations of the shells of molluscous animals, vol. 2, pl. 1-39 and unpaginated text. L. Reeve & Co., London. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  • Cernohorsky, W.O. 1970. Systematics of the families Mitridae & Volutomitridae (Mollusca: Gastropoda). Bulletin of the Auckland Institute and Museum. Auckland, New Zealand 8: 1-190
  • Cernohorsky, W.O. 1981. On a collection of buccinacean and mitrician gastropods (Mollusca, Neogastropoda) from the Mozambique Channel and New Caledonia. Bulletin du Muséum national d'histoire naturelle. Section A, Zoologie, biologie et écologie animale
  • Sheppard, A (1984). The molluscan fauna of Chagos (Indian Ocean) and an analysis of its broad distribution patterns. Coral Reefs 3: 43–50
  • Wells, F.F., Bryce, C.W., Clark, J.E. & Hansen, G.M. 1990. Christmas Shells. The marine molluscs of Christmas Island (Indian Ocean). Christmas Island: Australia : Christmas Island Natural History Association 98 pp., pls 1-81.
  • Wilson, B. 1994. Australian marine shells. Prosobranch gastropods. Kallaroo, WA : Odyssey Publishing Vol. 2 370 pp.
  • Drivas, J. & M. Jay (1988). Coquillages de La Réunion et de l'île Maurice
  • Turner H. 2001. Katalog der Familie Costellariidae Macdonald, 1860. Conchbooks. 1-100 page(s): 60
  • Arnaud, J.P., Berthault, C., Jeanpierre, R., Martin, J.C. & Martin, P. 2002. Costellariidae et Mitridae de Nouvelle Calédonie. Xenophora. Association française de conchyliologie. Supplément 100: 52 pp
  • Wils, E. & Verbinnen, G. 2002. Red Sea Mollusca: Part 12. Class Gastropoda; Family: Costellariidae. Gloria Maris 41(1-2): 29-37
  • "Vexillum (Pusia) speciosum". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 15 December 2010.
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