Regal Miter

Vexillum citrinum, common name : the Queen Mitre, is a species of small sea snail, marine gastropod mollusk in the family Costellariidae, the ribbed miters.^[1]

Description

Brown form

The shell size varies between 50 mm and 86 mm.

The smooth shell is ovately conical, rounded and rather solid at the upper part. The spire is short, finely striated towards the apex. The apex is raised and sharp. The shell has as orange citron colour, variously stained with livid chesnut. The columella is five-plaited. The aperture is very long. ^[2]

Distribution

This species occurs in the Indian Ocean off East Africa, Madagascar and in the Western Pacific.

References

• Dautzenberg, Ph. (1929). Mollusques testacés marins de Madagascar. Faune des Colonies Francaises, Tome III
• Steyn, D. G.; Lussi, M. (2005). Offshore Shells of Southern Africa: A pictorial guide to more than 750 Gastropods. Published by the authors. pp. i–vi, 1–289.
• Turner H. 2001. Katalog der Familie Costellariidae Macdonald, 1860. Conchbooks. 1-100 page(s): 24
• Herrmann, M. and E. Guillot de Suduiraut. 2009. Two new species of Vexillum from the Philippines and Malaysia with remarks on Vexillum plicarium (Linnaeus, 1758), its synonyms and the identity of Vexillum citrinum (Gmelin, 1791)(Gastropoda: Costellariidae). Conchylia 40(3-4): 26-33