Vexillum semifasciatum explained

Vexillum semifasciatum, common name the half-banded mitre, is a species of small sea snail, marine gastropod mollusk in the family Costellariidae, the ribbed miters.

Description

The length of the shell varies between 16 mm and 26 mm.

The shell is ovately oblong. The smooth spire is somewhat turreted. It is longitudinally rather concentrically ribbed with the axial ribs close set (sometimes with orange-red color), and thickened at the upper part. The sutures are deeply impressed. The 7-10 slightly convex whorls of the teleoconch are white cream or pale-ash colour above, yellowish red or ashy-blue beneath and encircled with two or three reddish-brown lines. The whorls of the protoconch are glassy brown. The base of the shell shows some faint spiral grooves. The smooth, thicked outer lip is narrow and convexly rounded. The dark brown or purplish columella is four-plaited. The siphonal canal is straight and contains many calluses.^{[1] [2]}

Distribution

This species occurs in the Indo-West and Central Pacific (with as type locality, the Indian Ocean); also off Papua New Guinea and Queensland, Australia.

References

• Turner H. 2001. Katalog der Familie Costellariidae Macdonald, 1860. Conchbooks. 1–100 page(s): 59

External links

• Lamarck (J.B.M.de). (1811). Suite de la détermination des espèces de Mollusques testacés. Mitre (Mitra.). Annales du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle. 17: 195-222.
• Swainson, W. (1820-1823). Zoological Illustrations, or, original figures and descriptions of new, rare, or interesting animals, selected chiefly from the classes of ornithology, entomology, and conchology, and arranged on the principles of Cuvier and other modern zoologists. London: Baldwin, Cradock & Joe; Strand: W. Wood. (Vol. 1-3): pl. 1-18

Notes and References

1. https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8937231 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.
2. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/42499937#page/175/mode/1up Cernohorsky, Walter Oliver. The Mitridae of Fiji; The veliger vol. 8 (1965)