Sulawesi, Indonesia, 72.1mm., Ex-Coll. Paul Johnson.
The « Golden-Mouth Volute » is a classic collector's item among the volutes endemic to Indonesia, characterised by the brilliant golden hue in its aperture for which it was named. It was selected by S. Peter Dance as one of his fifty « Rare Shells » (1969) and was very rare even into the late 1900s. Today it is only uncommon and much easier to obtain, although giant specimens still fetch high prices. The spire height is somewhat variable as well as the prominence of the two dark bands, the shell is quite prone to growth scars. The number of spines per whorl is also variable. It is a carnivorous gastropod inhabiting shallow sandy bottoms of about -2~50m deep. Typical shell length around 55mm., giant specimens may occasionally exceed 70mm.