Vexillum unifasciale is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk, in the family Costellariidae, the ribbed miters.MolluscaBase (2018). Vexillum unifasciale (Lamarck, 1811). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=751923 on 2018-12-31
Description
The length of the shell attains 19 mm, its diameter 8 mm; the length can attain 29 mm.
(Described as Mitra fratercula) The oblong shell is subfusiform, solid, shining and, contracted at the base. The spire is moderately elevated, acute, brownish-yellow, transversely lineated with deep brown, and adorned with a spiral white band. The shell contains 8-9 whorls, plano-convex, slightly shouldered, longitudinally ribbed. The ribs are small, closely set, angular, 16 to 18 in number, slightly nodulose above, and the interstices remotely transversely impressedly striated. The body whorl is large, roundly convex, granulated towards the base. The aperture is narrow, little less than half the length of the shell, bluish white and lyrate within. The columella has four folds.
The animal is light brown, dotted and mottled with yellowish white.
This is a very rare species, found under stones on reefs.Garrett, A. (1873). List of species of Mitridae collected at Rarotonga, Cook's Islands, with notes, also descriptions of new species. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. 1872: 839-843
(Described as Vexillum venustulum) The shell is ovate with an acuminated spire. The whorls are convex and longitudinally granosely ribbed. The shell is bright yellow, encircled with two or three narrow dark chesnut zones. The columella is four-plaited.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.
Distribution This marine species occurs in the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf and in the Indo-West Pacific and Polynesia (Tahiti, Rarotonga, Samoa, and Hawaii); also off the Philippines and Japan; also off Australia (New South Wales, Queensland and Papua New Guinea).
References
Lamarck, J.P.B.A de M. 1811. Suite de la détermination des espèces de mollusques testacés, Mitre (Mitra). Annales du Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris 17: 54–80, 195–222 Turner H. 2001. Katalog der Familie Costellariidae Macdonald, 1860. Conchbooks. 1-100 page(s): 66 Drivas, J. & M. Jay (1988). Coquillages de La Réunion et de l'île Maurice Poppe, G. T.; Tagaro, S.; Salisbury, R. A. (2009). New species of Mitridae and Costellariidae from the Philippines. Visaya Supplement. 4: 1-86.
External links
Jickeli, C. F. (1874). Studien über die Conchylien des Rothen Meeres. I. Die Gattung Mitra Lam. Jahrbücher der Deutschen Malakozoologischen Gesellschaft. 1: 17-55 Liénard, Élizé. Catalogue de la faune malacologique de l'île Maurice et de ses dépendances comprenant les îles Seychelles, le groupe de Chagos composé de Diego-Garcia, Six-îles, Pèros-Banhos, Salomon, etc., l'île Rodrigues, l'île de Cargados ou Saint-Brandon. J. Tremblay, 1877.