''Raphitoma mirabilis'' is a species of

sea snail Sea snail is a common name for slow-moving marine gastropod molluscs, usually with visible external shells, such as whelk or abalone. They share the taxonomic class Gastropoda with slugs, which are distinguished from snails primarily by the ...

, a marine

gastropod The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda (). This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, from freshwater, and from land. T ...

mollusk in the family

Raphitomidae Raphitomidae is a family of small to medium-sized sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Conoidea.Bouchet P. & Rocroi J.-P. (Ed.) (2005). "Classification and nomenclator of gastropod families". ''Malacologia'' 47(1-2). . 39 ...

Description

The length of the shell reaches 9 mm. The very slender, fusiform, turriculate shell has a high spire and a pointed apex. It contains 7 convex

whorl A whorl ( or ) is an individual circle, oval, volution or equivalent in a whorled pattern, which consists of a spiral or multiple concentric objects (including circles, ovals and arcs). Whorls in nature File:Photograph and axial plane floral ...

s, of which two in the

protoconch A protoconch (meaning first or earliest or original shell) is an embryonic or larval shell which occurs in some classes of molluscs, e.g., the initial chamber of an ammonite or the larval shell of a gastropod. In older texts it is also called ...

. They show longitudinal ribs, lamellar, spaced, narrow, elevated, and smaller decurrent threads forming a reticulation with nodules. The aperture is ovate and measures a little less than half the length of the shell. The

siphonal canal The siphonal canal is an anatomical feature of the shells of certain groups of sea snails within the clade Neogastropoda. Some sea marine gastropods have a soft tubular anterior extension of the mantle called a siphon through which water is ...

is rather long. The columella is straight and slightly twisted at the base. The rounded outer lip is thin, not wrinkled and notched at the edge of the suture. The ground color of the shell is reddish brown on which the reticulation comes off in white.Pallary P. (1904-1906). Addition à la faune malacologique du Golfe de Gabès. Journal de Conchyliologie. 52: 212-248, pl. 7 [1904
54: 77-124, pl. 4">904">Pallary P. (1904-1906). Addition à la faune malacologique du Golfe de Gabès. Journal de Conchyliologie. 52: 212-248, pl. 7 [1904
54: 77-124, pl. 4

Distribution

This marine species occurs off Tunisia.

References

* Nordsieck F. (1977). ''The Turridae of the European seas''. Roma: La Conchiglia. 131 pp. * Gofas, S.; Le Renard, J.; Bouchet, P. (2001). Mollusca. in: Costello, M.J. et al. (eds), European Register of Marine Species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Patrimoines Naturels. 50: 180-213

External links

*
Gastropods.com: ''Raphitoma (Raphitoma) mirabilis''

{{DEFAULTSORT:Raphitoma Mirabilis mirabilis Gastropods described in 1904