Vexillum rajaensis

Vexillum rajaensis is an extinct species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Costellariidae, known as the ribbed miters.^[1]

Vexillum rajaensis
Shell of Vexillum rajaensis (holotype)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Neogastropoda
Superfamily:	Turbinelloidea
Family:	Costellariidae
Genus:	Vexillum
Species:	†V. rajaensis
Binomial name
†Vexillum rajaensis (K. Martin, 1895)
Synonyms
† Turricula (Callithea) rajaensis K. Martin, 1895

Discovery

The species was originally described by the Dutch paleontologist Karl Martin in 1895, based on fossil specimens collected from Java, Indonesia. These fossils were part of a collection assembled by Dr. R. D. M. Verbeek during geological surveys of the Dutch East Indies.^[2]

Stratigraphic and Geological Context

Vexillum rajaensis was found in sedimentary deposits dating to the Pliocene epoch. These deposits are part of the marine strata in the Rembang region of northeastern Java. The fossil assemblage suggests that the area was once a shallow tropical marine shelf, rich in molluscan life.

Description

The shell of Vexillum rajaensis is slender, fusiform, and features a high spire composed of numerous, moderately convex whorls. Prominent axial ribs run from suture to base and are intersected by faint spiral lines, producing a delicate reticulate pattern. The aperture is narrow and elongated, with a smooth outer lip and a short, slightly recurved siphonal canal. These features are consistent with predatory gastropods in shallow marine environments. Well-preserved fossil specimens show detailed sculpture, supporting identification within the family Costellariidae.^[2]

Taxonomy

The species was originally named Turricula (Callithea) rajaensis by Martin, but was later reassigned to the genus Vexillum based on shell morphology and updated family classifications.^[1]

Paleobiology

As a member of Costellariidae, V. rajaensis was likely a carnivorous snail that lived on sandy or muddy seafloors, preying on small invertebrates. Its shell structure suggests it was adapted to life in shallow, warm-water environments, typical of the Pliocene tropical seas around Java.

See also

• Costellariidae
• Pliocene
• Fossil gastropods
• Geology of Indonesia