Vexillum piceum

Vexillum piceum is a species of small sea snail, marine gastropod mollusk in the family Costellariidae, the ribbed miters.^[1]

Vexillum piceum
Vexillum piceum (specimen at the Smithsonian Institution)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Neogastropoda
Superfamily:	Turbinelloidea
Family:	Costellariidae
Genus:	Vexillum
Species:	V. piceum
Binomial name
Vexillum piceum (Pease, 1860)
Synonyms
Pusia piceum (Pease, 1860) Strigatella picea Pease, 1860 (original combination) Turricula (Pusia) putillus Pease, 1865 Turricula putillus Pease, 1865 Vexillum (Pusia) piceum (Pease, 1860)

Description

The shell is abbreviately fusiform, somewhat ventricose. The whole surface is decussated by narrow grooves, the longitudinal grooves are finely striated. The spire is rather short and acute. The sutures are well impressed. The aperture is strongly lirate within. The outer lip is denticulate. The columella is four-plaited. The shell is black. The spire and upper part of the body whorl are spotted with white, occasionally encircled with a single narrow white band. The transverse grooves are reddish-brown.^[2]

Distribution

This marine species occurs off Hawaii.