Vexillum polygonum

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

Vexillum polygonum
Shell of Vexillum polygonum (specimen at the Natural History Museum, London)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Neogastropoda
Family:	Costellariidae
Genus:	Vexillum
Species:	V. polygonum
Binomial name
Vexillum polygonum (Gmelin, 1791)
Synonyms[1]
Costellaria marmorea (J.F. Gmelin, 1791) Costellaria similis (J.F. Gmelin, 1791) Mitra aurata Röding, 1798 Mitra marmorea Adams, A. 1853 Vexillum (Costellaria) polygonum (Gmelin, 1791) Voluta polygona Gmelin, 1791 (original combination)

Description

The length of the shell attains 34 mm. Adult shells are slender and fusiform, ranging from about 20 to 40 mm in length. Each whorl bears 14–18 broad axial ribs crossed by fine spiral threads that create a low-noded, “quilted” sculpture. Background colour varies from ivory-cream to pinkish, over-lain by irregular chestnut-brown blotches that form polygonal patches—hence the specific epithet polygonum. The aperture is narrow; the columella displays four distinct plaits, the anterior two being strongest, and the inner lip is smooth.^[2]

Distribution

This marine species occurs in the Indo-West Pacific (Madagascar, the Philippines, Solomon islands, New Caledonia); also off Australia (Queensland).