CZ EN
SEARCH  

Taxon profile

species

Quasimitra nubila (Gmelin, 1791)

kingdom Animalia - animals »  phylum Mollusca - mollusks »  class Gastropoda - gastropods »  order Neogastropoda »  family Mitridae - Miters »  genus Quasimitra

Scientific synonyms

Mitra nubila J. F. Gmelin, 1791
Mitra propinqua A. Adams, 1851
Quasimitra propinqua (A. Adams, 1853)

Images

Quasimitra nubila

Author: Jan Delsing

Quasimitra nubila

Author: Jan Delsing

Quasimitra nubila

Author: Robin, A. & Martin, J-C.

Taxonomy

Mitra nubila: Several names have been proposed for the various colour and sculptural forms of this species. The typical colour form with continuous or interrupted brown bands or sparse ornamentation of irregular or round blotches, and a shell with inflated whorls, is represented by the names M. versicolor Lamarck, M. nivosa Swainson, M. nebulosa Reeve (non Broderip), M. propinqua A. Adams and in part M. erronea Dohrn. Kiener's figure of M. versicolor represents the more slender form, which is heavily maculated with brown zones and has a coarser sculpture, and is similar to the form illustrated here from the Solomon Islands. The form M. brettinghami has an ornamentation consisting of two faint transverse bands and longitudinal stripes instead of blotches; this form is more frequently collected in the Fiji Islands than in other areas. The shallow or deeper punctate grooves and intervening flat or risen spiral cords are another variable feature in this species.
Cernohorsky, W.O., 1976. The Mitridae of the World. Part I. Mitrinae.

Description

Mitra nubila: Shell to 70 mm (about 3 inches) in length, elongate-ovate or fusiformly-ovate, occa¬sionally somewhat inflated in large specimens, particularly near the sutures. Whorls 8-10 with 1,5-2 cylindrical nuclear whorls. Postnuclear whorls with 5 or 6 punctate spiral grooves, penultimate whorl with 6-10 punctate spirals, last whorl with 17-33 spirals; the spiral grooves are either shallow or moderately deep and the intervening cords are completely flat or slightly elevated. Axial striae cross spiral grooves and often become quite prominent towards the sutures in some individuals. Aperture equal in height to or longer than the spire, moderately wide, smooth and porcellaneous-white within; columella calloused anteriorly and with 4 or 5 strong, oblique folds. Outer lip slightly convex and minutely crenulate, siphonal canal straight or slightly recurved, calloused and sculptured with oblique spiral cords, siphonal notch distinct. White in colour, ornamented with brown axial stripes and 2 or 3 indistinct transverse zones, or prominently banded or chevron-spotted with brown. Some specimens have irregular brown zones or round blotches particularly at the sutures, and many individuals have small white spots irregularly scattered over the surface or may border the axial lines; the columella and aperture are white.
Measurements: Length between 42 and 68 mm, width between 16 and 24 mm
Cernohorsky, W.O., 1976. The Mitridae of the World. Part I. Mitrinae.

Interchangeable taxa

Mitra nubila: This rather rare species has a wide but scattered distribution which may be due to the lack of collecting in intervening areas. The species is moderately large, occasionally inflated at the sutures in gerontic specimens, sculptured with punctate spiral striae and ornamented with brown axial streaks or bands and small scattered
Cernohorsky, W.O., 1976. The Mitridae of the World. Part I. Mitrinae.

Distribution

Mitra nubila: Range: Red Sea to Tonga and the Phoenix Islands.
Habitat: The species shows a preference for clean and usually coarse coral sand, and occurs from the intertidal zone to a depth of 10 fathoms.
Author: Jan Delsing

Links and literature

EN Galli C.: WMSDB - Wolrdwide Mollusc Species Data Base July 10, 2013 [http://www.bagniliggia.it/WMSD/WMSDhome....] [as Mitra nubila (Gmelin, 1791)]
Data retrieved on: 23 November 2013

Contributions to BioLib

Help us to expand this encyclopedia! If you are logged in, you can add new subtaxa, vernacular and scientific names, texts, images or intertaxon relationships for this taxon.

Comments