Mitromorpha paula

Mitromorpha paula
Original image (and protoconch) of Mitromorpha paula
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Neogastropoda
Superfamily:	Conoidea
Family:	Mitromorphidae
Genus:	Mitromorpha
Species:	M. paula
Binomial name
Mitromorpha paula Verco, 1909
Synonyms[1]
Mitromorpha (Mitrolumna) paula (Verco, J.C., 1909) Mitromorpha paula var. leuca Verco, J.C. 1909

Mitromorpha paula is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Mitromorphidae.^[1]

Description[]

The length of the shell attains 3.8 mm, its diameter 1.5 mm.

(Original description) The minute, solid shell consists of 4½ whorls, including a blunt protoconch of 2 whorls,. The whorls of the protoconch are convex and apparently smooth, but microscopically granular, separated by a linear suture. It ends abruptly, and from within it issue the spirals of the first spire-whorls. Perfect specimens show the granules in very close-set spiral rows. The spire whorls are slightly convex, with eight spiral lirae. The sutures are simple. The body whorl is arge, tapering anteriorly. The aperture is elongate-oval and rather widely open in front. The outer lip is simple, crenulated outside by the sculpture, slightly convex in profile, with a minute round, shallow sinus close to the suture. The inner lip is a complete narrow glaze. The sculpture shows twenty-three spiral lirae, flat-topped, half as wide as the interspaces, axially faintly incised. The colour is cinnamon-brown, lighter in a band on the prominence of the whorls.^[2]

Distribution[]

This marine species is endemic to Australia and occurs off South Australia.

References[]

• Hedley, C. 1922. A revision of the Australian Turridae. Records of the Australian Museum 13(6): 213–359, pls 42–56 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

External links[]

• Tucker, J.K. (2004). "Catalog of recent and fossil turrids (Mollusca: Gastropoda)" (PDF). Zootaxa. 682: 1–1295.