Macteola anomala

Macteola anomala is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Mangeliidae.^[1]

Macteola anomala
Image of a shell of Macteola anomala
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Neogastropoda
Superfamily:	Conoidea
Family:	Mangeliidae
Genus:	Macteola
Species:	M. anomala
Binomial name
Macteola anomala (Angas, 1877)
Synonyms[1]
Mangelia anomala (Angas, 1877) Murex anomala (Angas, 1877) Purpura (Cronia) anomala Angas, 1877 (original combination)

Description

The length of the shell varies between 8 mm and 12 mm.

The shell is rather solid. It is light brown, with a darker, black-spotted median band, and undulating longitudinal stripes, which are more prominent near the base of the body whorl.^[2]

In fresh specimens a delicate grain sculpture is visible under the lens. The colour varies. There may be only a peripheral row of separate intercostal brown spots, or beneath these there may run a continuous orange zone, anterior to which the shell may be faintly suffused with pink.^[3]

Distribution

This marine species is endemic to Australia and occurs off New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia.