Vexillum moelleri

Vexillum moelleri
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Neogastropoda
Family:	Costellariidae
Genus:	Vexillum
Species:	V. moelleri
Binomial name
Vexillum moelleri (Küster, 1840)
Synonyms [1]
Mitra (Strigatella) baldwiniiMelvill, 1899 Mitra baldwiniiMelvill, 1899 Mitra flammulataPease, 1868 Mitra moelleriKüster, 1840 (original combination) Mitra zebrinaGarrett, 1873 (invalid: junior homonym of Mitra zebrinad'Orbigny, 1840) Pusia moelleri(Küster, 1840) · Vexillum (Pusia) moelleri(Küster, 1840) · accepted, alternate representation

Vexillum moelleri is a species of small sea snail, marine gastropod mollusk in the family Costellariidae, the ribbed miters. ^[1]

Description

The length of the shell attains 14.7 mm.

(Described as Mitra flammulata) The solid shell is smooth, shining, ovately-fusiform and somewhat attenuated at both ends. It is finely striated transversely, grooved at the base. The apex is acute and finely ribbed longitudinally. The shell contains nine convex whorls. They are contiguous and somewhat swollen. The columella is prominently four-plaited, with a slight callosity at top. The outer lip is regularly grooved within its whole length. The base of the shell is slightly produced, somewhat contracted, and recurved in a twisted manner. The aperture is straight, rather narrow, one-half the length of the shell. The shell is whitish, longitudinally painted, with broad, somewhat flexuous, reddish-brown flames. The aperture is white. ^[2]

Distribution

This species occurs in the Pacific Ocean off Hawaii, Fiji, Samoa, Tahiti, the Cook Islands and the Tuamotu Islands; also off the Philippines.

References

1. Vexillum moelleri (Küster, 1840) . Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species  on 24 April 2010.
2. Pease, W. H. (1868 ("1867") ). Descriptions of marine Gasteropodæ, inhabiting Polynesia. American Journal of Conchology. 3(3): 211-222 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .

• Melvill, J.C. (1899). Description of a new species of Mitra (M. baldwinii) from the Hawaiian Islands. Journal of Malacology. 7: 67–68.
• Turner H. (2001) Katalog der Familie Costellariidae Macdonald 1860 (Gastropoda: Prosobranchia: Muricoidea). Hackenheim: Conchbooks. 100 pp.

External links

• WMSDB: image
• Küster, H. C. (1838-1841). Die Familie der Walzenschnecken. (Volutacea, Menke.) Systematisches Conchylien-Cabinet von Martini und Chemnitz, ed.2, 5(2): vii-x, pp. 1-234, pls A, B, 1-49, 17a-e. Published in parts
• Garrett, A. (1873). List of species of Mitridae collected at Rarotonga, Cook's Islands, with notes, also descriptions of new species. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. 1872: 839-843.