Vexillum stephanuchum

Vexillum stephanuchum
	Shell of Vexillum stephanuchum (specimen at Naturalis Biodiversity Center)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Neogastropoda
Superfamily:	Turbinelloidea
Family:	Costellariidae
Genus:	Vexillum
Species:	V. stephanuchum
Binomial name
	Vexillum stephanuchum; (Melvill, 1897)
Synonyms
	Mitra (Costellaria) stephanucha Melvill, 1897 (basionym); Vexillum stephanucha (Melvill, 1897) (incorrect gender ending);

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

Description

The length of the shell reaches 42 mm, its diameter 12 mm.

According to its original description, the large shell has an attenuate fusiform shape. Its colour is cinereous-red. The shell contains 14 gradated whorls and a sharp apex. These are smooth (to the naked eye), except where the spiral acutely noduled coronations encircle the upper part of the last five or six whorls. These coronations gradually get fainter and disappear altogether in the upper whorls, which are many-ribbed, with interstitial transverse liration. These lirae continue on the lower whorls, many-punctate, and the ribs on these last are fewer and very strongly marked. The oblong aperture is narrow. The outer lip is sharp. Inside it is striated. The columella is four-plaited.^[2]

Distribution

This marine species occurs off Oman and in the Persian Gulf; also off Pakistan.

References

^ Vexillum stephanuchum (Melvill, 1897). Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 24 April 2010.
^ Melvill, J. C. (1897). Descriptions of thirty-four species of marine Mollusca from the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Gulf of Oman. (Mostly collected by F. W. Townsend, Esq.). Memoirs and Proceedings of the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society. 41(7): 1-25 , pls 6-7 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

Turner H. (2001) Katalog der Familie Costellariidae Macdonald 1860 (Gastropoda: Prosobranchia: Muricoidea). Hackenheim: Conchbooks. 100 pp.

[WoRMS-1] Vexillum stephanuchum (Melvill, 1897). Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 24 April 2010.

[2] Melvill, J. C. (1897). Descriptions of thirty-four species of marine Mollusca from the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Gulf of Oman. (Mostly collected by F. W. Townsend, Esq.). Memoirs and Proceedings of the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society. 41(7): 1-25 , pls 6-7 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

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