''Vexillum interruptum'' is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of ...

of small sea snail, marine gastropod

mollusk Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is es ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Costellariidae Costellariidae sometimes called the "ribbed miters" is a taxonomic family of minute to medium-sized predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks. This family of snails is also sometimes referred to as ''Vexillum'' miters. The main family o ...

, the ribbed miters.

Description

The length of the shell varies between 6 mm and 7 mm. (Described as ''Turricula (Pusia) nodulosa'') The thick shell is oblong ovate. It is longitudinally nodosely ribbed. The ribs are round, prominent, remote, somewhat oblique and curved, on the

spire A spire is a tall, slender, pointed structure on top of a roof of a building or tower, especially at the summit of church steeples. A spire may have a square, circular, or polygonal plan, with a roughly conical or pyramidal shape. Spires are ...

and upper part of the body whorl swollen, becoming obsolete on the lower part of the body whorl, transversely encircled with close set elevated striae. The

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 flo ...

s are rounded. The spire is turrited. The

columella Lucius Junius Moderatus Columella (; Arabic: , 4 – ) was a prominent writer on agriculture in the Roman Empire. His ' in twelve volumes has been completely preserved and forms an important source on Roman agriculture, together with the ...

is four-plaited and slightly callous at top. The shell is white; the striae on the lower half of the whorls are reddish-chestnut. Pease, W. H. (1868 ["1867"
. Descriptions of marine Gasteropodæ, inhabiting Polynesia. American Journal of Conchology. 3(3): 211-222">1867"">Pease, W. H. (1868 ["1867"
. Descriptions of marine Gasteropodæ, inhabiting Polynesia. American Journal of Conchology. 3(3): 211-222

Distribution

This species occurs in the South Pacific Ocean off the Society Islands, the Solomon Islands, the Tuamotus, Mariana Islands, Hawaii; also off the Philippines and New Caledonia.

References

External links

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
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vexillum Interruptum interruptum Gastropods described in 1838