Mitrella scripta

Mitrella scripta, the music dove shell, is a species of sea snail in the family Columbellidae, the dove snails.

Mitrella scripta
Shell of Mitrella scripta
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Neogastropoda
Family:	Columbellidae
Genus:	Mitrella
Species:	M. scripta
Binomial name
Mitrella scripta (Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms
List Buccinum corniculatum Lamarck, 1822 Buccinum linneai Payraudeau, 1826 Buccinum linneai var. lactea Philippi, 1836 Buccinum linneai var. major Philippi, 1836 Columbella scripta var. abbreviata Bucquoy, Dautzenberg & Dollfus, 1882 Columbella scripta var. albida Monterosato, 1878 Columbella scripta var. brevis Monterosato, 1875 Columbella scripta var. elongata Bucquoy, Dautzenberg & Dollfus, 1882 Columbella scripta var. flammulata Monterosato, 1878 Columbella scripta var. flammulata Pallary, 1900 Columbella scripta var. flavida Monterosato, 1878 Columbella scripta var. major Monterosato, 1878 Columbella scripta var. minor Monterosato, 1878 Columbella scripta var. turgida Monterosato, 1878 Columbella scripta var. unifasciata Monterosato, 1878 Columbella scripta var. variegata Monterosato, 1878 Fusus glaber Risso, 1826 Mitrella flaminea Risso, 1826 Mitrella scripta var. acutalis Monterosato, 1923 Mitrella syrtiaca Pallary, 1908 Murex conulus Olivi, 1792 Murex scriptus Linnaeus, 1758(basionym) Pisania laevigata Bivona-Bernardi, 1832 Purpura corniculata Risso, 1826 Purpura lamarckii Risso, 1826 Pyrene scripta (Linnaeus, 1758)

Description

The shell of an adult Mitrella scripta grows to a length of about 18 millimetres (0.71 in). This sea snail is a high spired, biconic columbellid with smooth, unsculptured shells and a denticulated inner surface of the external lip. The surface of the shell usually is white with a patching of pale brown on the whorls.

Distribution

This species occurs in European waters (Spain, Portugal, Madeira), the Mediterranean Sea and in the Indian Ocean off Tanzania.

References

• Spry, J.F. (1961). The sea shells of Dar es Salaam: Gastropods
• Gofas, S.; Le Renard, J.; Bouchet, P. (2001). Mollusca, in: Costello, M.J. et al. (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels, 50: pp. 180–213

External links

• "Mitrella scripta". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 18 January 2011.
• Sociedad Española de Malacologia
• M. deMaintenon The Columbellidae (Gastropoda: Neogastropoda) collected at Ambon during the Rumphius Biohistorical Expedition
• Photos of Mitrella scripta on Sealife Collection