Shells of South
East Queensland

Tweed Heads to Noosa
Cypraeidae

Ransoniella punctata

(Linnaeus, 1771)
Shell: small, light, oblong ovate to sub-pyriform, ranging from 9-17 mm. Spire concealed. Teeth: 18 to 21 columellar teeth; 16 to 19 labral teeth. Sculpture: smooth, porcelaneous. Exterior colour cream may have pale transverse bands; dorsum with variable brown spots; base cream; margins spotted; teeth maybe highlighted with tan.


Specimens

Mudjimba Island,  Australia
 Size: 12.34mm    Collected: 2000
Collected from 10m on rocky reef by diver.
forma: iredalei  (Schilder & Schilder, 1938)
 This form from Melanesia. Smaller; spotting on dorsum coarse and sparse; teeth paler.
 General Store,  Solomon Islands
 Size: 12.39mm    Collected: 2000
Collected from coral rubble at 10m by diver. Also found dead specimen.

forma: iredalei  (Schilder & Schilder, 1938)
 This form from Melanesia. Smaller; spotting on dorsum coarse and sparse; teeth paler.
 Marau Sound,  Solomon Islands
 Size: 12.65mm    Collected: Unknown
Collected from dead branching coral at low tide.
Subspecies: Ransoniella punctata trizonata  (G. B. Sowerby II, 1870)
 Tahiti & Tuamotus. Extremities without callous; dorsum fawn with 2 paler transverse bands; spotting, small, minimal; columellar teeth not stained.
 Asau,  Western Samoa
 Size: 9.8mm    Collected: 2019
Collected from dead plate coral at 3-5 m at night.

forma: iredalei  (Schilder & Schilder, 1938)
 This form from Melanesia. Smaller; spotting on dorsum coarse and sparse; teeth paler.
 Port Moresby,  Papua New Guinea
 Size: mm    Collected: 1984
found dead in coral rubble 3-4 metres of water

forma: iredalei  (Schilder & Schilder, 1938)
 This form from Melanesia. Smaller; spotting on dorsum coarse and sparse; teeth paler.
 Port Vila,  Vanuatu
 Size: 10mm    Collected: Unknown
Purchased at local markets.
Subspecies: Ransoniella punctata trizonata  (G. B. Sowerby II, 1870)
 Tahiti & Tuamotus. Extremities without callous; dorsum fawn with 2 paler transverse bands; spotting, small, minimal; columellar teeth not stained.
 Papeete,  French Polynesia
 Size: 9.74mm    Collected: Unknown
Collected from under coral slabs on hard reef at 3-5m.
 Tiny pale shell.
Tavarua Island,  Fiji
 Size: 14.19mm    Collected: Unknown
Intertidal in sand and coral rubble.
forma: glandina  (Dolin, 2007)
 This form has rostrated and red stained teeth.
 Nada,  Japan
 Size: 10.19mm    Collected: 1979
At low tide under a rock collected August 1979
forma: fusula  Dolin, 2007
 The form from the Philippines has rostrated extremities and faintly banded dorsum.
 Olango Island,  Philippines
 Size: 13mm    Collected: 2015
collected by diver at 10-20m collected August 2015
Olango Island,  Philippines
 Size: 14mm    Collected: 2015
collected by diver at 10-20m collected August 2015
Bohol,  Philippines
 Size: 10mm    Collected: Unknown
No data.
forma: glandina  (Dolin, 2007)
 This form has rostrated and red stained teeth.
 Weno Island,  chuuk state
 Size: mm    Collected: 2004
found dead in coral rubble 2 metres of water

Subspecies: Ransoniella punctata berinii  (Dautzenberg, 1906)
Pate Is,  Kenya
 Size: 16mm    Collected: 2015
under rock in 1-2m of water
Subspecies: Ransoniella punctata conleyi  C. P. Meyer & Lorenz, 2017
Seychelles,  Seychelles
 Size: 17.52mm    Collected: Unknown
Collected from under coral at 1-2m by snorkeller.
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