Shells of South
East Queensland

Tweed Heads to Noosa
Cypraeidae

Naria helvola

(Linnaeus, 1758)
Shell: small to moderately small, solid, Ovate to sub-pyriform, ranging from 10-26 mm. Spire concealed. Teeth: 12 to 16 columellar teeth; 12 to 17 labral teeth. Sculpture: smooth, porcelaneous; margins calloused and pitted along upper edge; labral teeth strong extending across to the margin. Aperture elongate, narrow, slightly wider at anterior. Exterior colour orange tan; dorsum dusted with white spots and larger, diffuse brown spots; base orange to tan, darker centrally; margins orange, becoming darker towards the dorsum; canals mauve. Mantle line weak.


Specimens

Gneerings Shoal,  Australia
 Size: 21.06mm    Collected: Unknown
Collected from under rocks on rocky reef at 10-15m by diver.
forma: citrinicolor  (Iredale, 19335)
 This form from WA. Collumelar teeth shorter in the mid section; paleish basal callous; dorsum greenish; spotting often diffuse.
 Exmouth,  Australia
 Size: 24.91mm    Collected: 1990
No data
forma: citrinicolor  
 This form from WA. Collumelar teeth shorter in the mid section; paleish basal callous; dorsum greenish; spotting often diffuse.
 South Passage, Shark Bay,  Australia
 Size: 23.61mm    Collected: Unknown
Collected from under coral slabs on hard reef at 3-5m.
forma: citrinicolor  
 This form from WA. Collumelar teeth shorter in the mid section; paleish basal callous; dorsum greenish; spotting often diffuse.
 Albany,  Australia
 Size: 25.51mm    Collected: Unknown
Collected form under rocks at 10m.
Broome,  Australia
 Size: 22.02mm    Collected: Unknown
No data
Bedout Island,  Australia
 Size: 24.21mm    Collected: Unknown
No data
Grand Central Station,  Solomon Islands
 Size: mm    Collected: 1998
found on coral reef in 2m of water under a rock
Asau,  Western Samoa
 Size: 15.89mm    Collected: 2019
Collected from dead plate coral at 3-5 m at night.
Very uncommon in Samoa
Man Friday Resort,  Fiji
 Size: mm    Collected: 1997
found dead on coral reef in 2m of water
Subspecies: Naria helvola bellatrix  (Lorenz, 2009)
 This subspecies from the Marquesas Islands. Rhomboid, collumellar teeth longer often extending across extremities; extremities stained white.
 Taioha'e Bay,  Marquesas
 Size: 20.52mm    Collected: Unknown
Collected from under rocks on rubble slopes at 15-20m by diver.
Mactan Island,  Philippines
 Size: 10mm    Collected: 2017
collected by diver 20-30 m depth
Home Island,  Indonesia
 Size: 24.18mm    Collected: Unknown
Collected from rubble at extreme low tide.
 Small Indian Ocean form
Mios Andau Kecil,  Indonesia
 Size: 24.88mm    Collected: Unknown
Collected from coral , sand patches and rubble at 30m by diver.
Transkei,  South Africa
 Size: 26.32mm    Collected: Unknown
Collected from under slabs on shallow rocky reef.
forma: argella  
 This form from East Africa; calloused; chestnut base with dark purple tips.
 Tanzania [unspecified],  Tanzania
 Size: mm    Collected: 1985
swapped
forma: argella  
 This form from East Africa; calloused; chestnut base with dark purple tips.
 Toliara,  Madagascar
 Size: 18.49mm    Collected: Unknown
Collected at low tide.
Oahu,  United States of America
 Size: 14.62mm    Collected: Unknown
Collected by scuba diver.

Subspecies: Naria helvola hawaiiensis  (Melvill, 1888)
 This subspecies from Hawaii. Calloused; white with dark brown spots on pinkish background; base brown to pink; tips lilac; collumelar teeth short.
 Oahu,  United States of America
 Size: 21.83mm    Collected: 1996
Collected from under coral and rocks at 3-5m by diver.
© South East Queensland Shells 2022.