Mitra papalis, commonly known as the Papal Mitre or Pontifical Mitre, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Mitridae (the miters). It was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758 under the name Voluta mitra papalis.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Mollusca
- Class: Gastropoda
- Subclass: Caenogastropoda
- Order: Neogastropoda
- Family: Mitridae
- Genus: Mitra
- Species: M. papalis
- Binomial name: Mitra papalis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Distribution This marine species is found in India and throughout the western Indo-Pacific region, including China, the Paracel Islands, Taiwan, the Philippines, New Guinea, Fiji, New Caledonia, and Guam.
Habitat These sea snails inhabit coral reefs and areas under rocks, ranging from the intertidal zone to depths of approximately 30 meters (100 feet). Rare specimens have been recorded from tangle nets at depths of around 600 feet.
Description Shells of Mitra papalis reach a length of about 60–166 millimeters (2.4–6.5 inches). The shells are elongate to ovate, fusiform, and smooth, lacking axial streaks on the surface. Sutural coronations (crown-like projections along the suture lines) are present. The aperture is moderately wide and smooth within. The shell surface is white, with small white nodules beneath the sutures and several rows of irregular bright red-orange or purplish blotches. The overall form of the shell resembles a papal mitre (the ceremonial headdress worn by popes), which gives the species its common name.
This species is similar to Mitra stictica, but its body form is longer, with more adpressed sutures and wider nodules.
