Shells of South
East Queensland

Tweed Heads to Noosa
Cypraeidae

Staphylaea staphylaea

(Linnaeus, 1758)
Shell: small, ranging from 12-52 mm. Teeth: 18 columellar teeth; 18 to 21 labral teeth. Sculpture: heavily pustulate, porcelaneous; margins calloused, heavily pitted and ridged along the edge; teeth extending across the base; mantel line impressed. Exterior colour blue grey to tan background covered with white pustules; base pale orange, margins lighter; teeth highlighted in orange; terminals dark orange.


Specimens

Subspecies: Staphylaea staphylaea consobrina  (Garrett, 1879)
 Australia to Polynesia. More rounded, oval. Shorter extremities; aperture more curved;pustules larger and more confluent; teeth long and thickened with narrower interticies; dorsum usually pale blue.
 The Wrecks to Myora Light,  Australia
 Size: mm    Collected: 1989
found on dark purple/ black sponge in an area with sand, mud and coral rubble bottom 0.4m tide
Subspecies: Staphylaea staphylaea consobrina  (Garrett, 1879)
 Australia to Polynesia. More rounded, oval. Shorter extremities; aperture more curved;pustules larger and more confluent; teeth long and thickened with narrower interticies; dorsum usually pale blue.
 Myora Light,  Australia
 Size: mm    Collected: 1989
under coral slabs in 50cm of water sand and mud bottom with coral rubble 0.4m tide
Subspecies: Staphylaea staphylaea consobrina  (Garrett, 1879)
 Australia to Polynesia. More rounded, oval. Shorter extremities; aperture more curved;pustules larger and more confluent; teeth long and thickened with narrower interticies; dorsum usually pale blue.
 Alexandra Headland,  Australia
 Size: 25mm    Collected: Unknown
No data.
Subspecies: Staphylaea staphylaea consobrina  (Garrett, 1879)
 Australia to Polynesia. More rounded, oval. Shorter extremities; aperture more curved;pustules larger and more confluent; teeth long and thickened with narrower interticies; dorsum usually pale blue.
 Brunswick Heads,  Australia
 Size: 21.06mm    Collected: Unknown
Collected from 15m by diver
Subspecies: Staphylaea staphylaea consobrina  (Garrett, 1879)
 Australia to Polynesia. More rounded, oval. Shorter extremities; aperture more curved;pustules larger and more confluent; teeth long and thickened with narrower interticies; dorsum usually pale blue.
 Gneerings Shoal,  Australia
 Size: 52.07mm    Collected: Unknown
Collected from rocky reef at 12-15m by diver.
Subspecies: Staphylaea staphylaea consobrina  (Garrett, 1879)
 Australia to Polynesia. More rounded, oval. Shorter extremities; aperture more curved;pustules larger and more confluent; teeth long and thickened with narrower interticies; dorsum usually pale blue.
 Lamont Reef,  Australia
 Size: 22mm    Collected: 2019
Dead in sand and coral rubble under rocks and coral slabs on intertidal reef.

Subspecies: Staphylaea staphylaea consobrina  (Garrett, 1879)
 Australia to Polynesia. More rounded, oval. Shorter extremities; aperture more curved;pustules larger and more confluent; teeth long and thickened with narrower interticies; dorsum usually pale blue.
 Fitzroy Island,  Australia
 Size: 23.59mm    Collected: Unknown
Under rocky slabs under jetty.
Scott Reef,  Australia
 Size: 19.67mm    Collected: Unknown
Under coral slabs on shallow reef in 1-2m of water at low tide.
Subspecies: Staphylaea staphylaea consobrina  (Garrett, 1879)
 Australia to Polynesia. More rounded, oval. Shorter extremities; aperture more curved;pustules larger and more confluent; teeth long and thickened with narrower interticies; dorsum usually pale blue.
 Nusa Aghana,  Solomon Islands
 Size: mm    Collected: 2000
found dead in sand on reef at 5m
Subspecies: Staphylaea staphylaea consobrina  (Garrett, 1879)
 Australia to Polynesia. More rounded, oval. Shorter extremities; aperture more curved;pustules larger and more confluent; teeth long and thickened with narrower interticies; dorsum usually pale blue.
 Joe,  Solomon Islands
 Size: mm    Collected: 2001
found dead on coral reef in 5m of water

Subspecies: Staphylaea staphylaea consobrina  (Garrett, 1879)
 Australia to Polynesia. More rounded, oval. Shorter extremities; aperture more curved;pustules larger and more confluent; teeth long and thickened with narrower interticies; dorsum usually pale blue.
 Uepi Point,  Solomon Islands
 Size: mm    Collected: 2002
found dead on coral reef in 5m of water

Subspecies: Staphylaea staphylaea consobrina  (Garrett, 1879)
 Australia to Polynesia. More rounded, oval. Shorter extremities; aperture more curved;pustules larger and more confluent; teeth long and thickened with narrower interticies; dorsum usually pale blue.
 Charapoana Island,  Solomon Islands
 Size: 14mm    Collected: 2018
Dead in sand on top of reef slope. 5m depth
Gabutu Beach,  Papua New Guinea
 Size: mm    Collected: 1984
found under a coral rock in areas of sand and coral in a protected lagoon, frilly pink mantle
Quayles Reef,  Papua New Guinea
 Size: mm    Collected: 2001
found dead on coral reef in 5m of water

Subspecies: Staphylaea staphylaea consobrina  (Garrett, 1879)
 Australia to Polynesia. More rounded, oval. Shorter extremities; aperture more curved;pustules larger and more confluent; teeth long and thickened with narrower interticies; dorsum usually pale blue.
 Nadi,  Fiji
 Size: 12.73mm    Collected: Unknown
Under coral slabs on hard reef at low tide.
Subspecies: Staphylaea staphylaea consobrina  (Garrett, 1879)
 Australia to Polynesia. More rounded, oval. Shorter extremities; aperture more curved;pustules larger and more confluent; teeth long and thickened with narrower interticies; dorsum usually pale blue.
 Port Vila,  Vanuatu
 Size: 20mm    Collected: Unknown
Purchased at local markets.
Subspecies: Staphylaea staphylaea laevigata  (Dautzenberg, 1932)
 This subspecies from western & northern Indian Ocean. Pustules less distinct, stronger towards the margins; aperture wider; teeth rather fine; smooth area between teeth and margins narrow; dorsum dark brown to bluish.
 Pemba Island,  Tanzania
 Size: 13.61mm    Collected: Unknown
Collected on shallow reefs by native fishermen.
Subspecies: Staphylaea staphylaea laevigata  (Dautzenberg, 1932)
 This subspecies from western & northern Indian Ocean. Pustules less distinct, stronger towards the margins; aperture wider; teeth rather fine; smooth area between teeth and margins narrow; dorsum dark brown to bluish.
 Madagascar,  Madagascar
 Size: 20.31mm    Collected: 1991
Offshore reef under coral slabs.
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