Colubraria reticulata: Habitat: it lives into detrital bottoms, in the coralligenous. Between 30 and 1 00 m depth, but it can be collected in low depths too. under stones. Distribution: common in a large part of the Mediterranean. It seems it is missing in Alboran sea. Colubraria reticulata is a problematic species from the taxonomic point of view and this is proved by its several synonyms and by the high number of genera assigned to it by the authors in the past. Bouchet (2005) includes it in the family of Colubrariidae Dall, 1904, while CLEMAM ascribe it among the Buccinidae. The shell morphological aspect is very characteristic with the presence of big varices differently distributed and a special aperture. Numerous little ribs and spiral striae make a reticulated sculpture. Lip denticulated internally. From light yellow to brown in colour pattern, sometimes with darker streaks.
In the lagoons of the Gulf of Gabes, specimens wholly white in colour are relatively common. They are very similar in form to C.reticulata from which they are recognizable due to the animal colour and to a different protoconch. Nevertheless from the DNA analysis effected on these two morpha, there were not put in evidence enough differences so to take into consideration a complete distinction among them. Therefore it was assigned an under specific value to the Tunisian form, denominating it C. reticulata spongiarum (Kobelt, 1901). Monterosato (1880) annotated several varieties in form and in colour pattern (albina, atra. fasciata. fulva, minor, nivea). to put in evidence the polimorphism and the chromatic variability of this species. The adult specimens average measures are around 20 mm in height.