| Vexillum antonellii | |
|---|---|
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| Drawing of a shell | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
| Order: | Neogastropoda |
| Family: | Costellariidae |
| Genus: | Vexillum |
| Species: | V. antonellii |
| Binomial name | |
| Vexillum antonellii (Dhorn, 1860) | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
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Vexillum antonellii is a species of small sea snail, marine gastropod mollusk in the family Costellariidae, the ribbed miters. [1] which is a group of snails that are commonly known as "tulip snails". Vexillum antonellii is found in the Indo-Pacific region, from the Red Sea to the Solomon Islands. It typically inhabits coral reefs and other hard-bottom substrates at depths of 10-60 meters.
Contents
Vexillum antonellii is a medium-sized snail, with shells that can reach up to 50 millimeters in length. The shell is slender and fusiform, with a long, narrow neck and a flared aperture. The shell is typically white or cream in color, with brown or reddish-brown markings. The markings can be in the form of spots, stripes, or zigzags.
Vexillum antonellii is a carnivorous snail. It preys on a variety of small organisms, including worms, crustaceans, and other mollusks. It uses its proboscis, which is a long, muscular tube, to capture and inject venom into its prey. Once the prey is paralyzed, Vexillum antonellii uses its radula, which is a tongue-like organ covered in sharp teeth, to scrape the prey's flesh off of its shell.
Vexillum antonellii is not a commercially important species. However, it is a popular shell among collectors. It is also sometimes used in traditional medicine.
