Vexillum regina, common name the queen mitre, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk, in the family Costellariidae, the ribbed miters.[1]
| Vexillum regina | |
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| Shell of Vexillum regina | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
| Order: | Neogastropoda |
| Superfamily: | Turbinelloidea |
| Family: | Costellariidae |
| Genus: | Vexillum |
| Species: | V. regina
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| Binomial name | |
| Vexillum regina (G.B. Sowerby I, 1828)
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| Synonyms[1] | |
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- Subspecies
- Vexillum regina filiareginae J. M. Cate, 1961 : synonym of Vexillum filiareginae J. M. Cate, 1961: synonym of Vexillum coloscopulus J. M. Cate, 1961
Description edit
The queen miter snail (Vexillum regina) is spectacularly colored with white, orange, and dark brown stripes (the species does vary in coloration, however). Vexillum is a predatory snail that secretes toxins to immobilize & kill prey.
The shell is elongately fusiform. The spire is turreted and sharply produced. The whorls are angulated at the upper part, longitudinally ribbed, transversely elevately striated. The shell is alternately zoned with orange-red and blueish white, edged with black. The columella is four-plaited. [2]
Distribution edit
It is a tropical marine gastropod from the Indo-Western Pacific Basin: Madagascar, Mozambique, the Philippines; also in the Coral Sea.
References edit
- ^ a b MolluscaBase (2018). Vexillum regina (Sowerby I, 1828). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=746092 on 2018-12-31
- ^ 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.
- Liu, J.Y. [Ruiyu] (ed.). (2008). Checklist of marine biota of China seas. China Science Press. 1267 pp.
- 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