Shells of South
East Queensland

Tweed Heads to Noosa
Cypraeidae

Staphylaea limacina

(Lamarck, 1810)
Shell: small to moderately small, light, ovate to elonge-ovate, ranging from 17-31 mm. Spire partially concealed . Teeth: 16 to 19 columellar teeth; 17 to 21 labral teeth. Sculpture: smooth or weakly pustule, porcelaneous; margins calloused, heavily pitted and ridged along the edge; columellar teeth extending partially across the base. Aperture elongate, narrow. Exterior colour dark fawn; dorsum dusted with diffuse white spots and clouds ; base and margins white; teeth stained with orange; terminals orange. Mantle line weak. .


Specimens

forma: facifer  (Iredale, 1935)
 This form from Australia. Oval to elongate. Bluish dorsum; distant spotting; pustulation coars and indistinct; blunt extremities, calloused.
 The Wrecks to Myora Light,  Australia
 Size: mm    Collected: 1989
found on underside of coraline rock in area of muddy sand and sea grass. 0.4m tide
Myora Light,  Australia
 Size: 19mm    Collected: 1996
On intertidal reef under coral rubble and on black sponge.
forma: facifer  (Iredale, 1935)
 This form from Australia. Oval to elongate. Bluish dorsum; distant spotting; pustulation coars and indistinct; blunt extremities, calloused.
 Alexandra Headland,  Australia
 Size: 25mm    Collected: Unknown
No data.
forma: facifer  (Iredale, 1935)
 This form from Australia. Oval to elongate. Bluish dorsum; distant spotting; pustulation coars and indistinct; blunt extremities, calloused.
 Myora light,  Australia
 Size: 31mm    Collected: 1997
No data.
forma: facifer  (Iredale, 1935)
 This form from Australia. Oval to elongate. Bluish dorsum; distant spotting; pustulation coars and indistinct; blunt extremities, calloused.
 Wilson Island,  Australia
 Size: 30.05mm    Collected: Unknown
Collected at low tide.
Rosemary Island,  Australia
 Size: 30mm    Collected: Unknown
Under coral slabs or rubble reef at extreme low tide.
Bohol,  Philippines
 Size: mm    Collected: 1985
No data.
Mactan Island,  Philippines
 Size: 24.52mm    Collected: Unknown
Under coral slabs on reef at 8-10m depth.
forma: staphylaeaformis  Lorenz, 1989
 This form has course pustules with teeth extending on to the margins.
 Punta Engano,  Philippines
 Size: 23mm    Collected: Unknown
On shallow reefs.
Subspecies: Staphylaea limacina interstincta  (Wood, 1828)
 This subspecies from Western Indian Ocean. Greyish brown to purple dorsum; finer, denser spotting; pustules absent or indistinct; aperture wider; extremities less calloused; columelar teeth finer extending far onto the base.
 Pemba Island,  Tanzania
 Size: 17.1mm    Collected: Unknown
Collected on shallow reefs at low tide by local collectors.
Gold Coast,  Australia
 Size: mm    Collected: 2018
forma facifer Photographed by diver. Courtesy D Preston.
© South East Queenlsand Shells 2021.