Biology:Golden volute

Short description: Species of gastropod

Golden volute
Golden volute, Provocator mirabilis
Scientific classification
Missing taxonomy template (fix):	Provocator
Species:	Template:Taxonomy/ProvocatorP. mirabilis
Binomial name
Template:Taxonomy/ProvocatorProvocator mirabilis (Finlay, 1926)
Synonyms
Finlay, 1926 Powell, 1954 (H. J. Finlay, 1926) Iredalina finlayi Iredalina aurantia L. C. King, 1933 Iredalina mirabilis Provocator (Iredalina) mirabilis

The golden volute, Provocator mirabilis, is a species of rare, large, deepwater sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Volutidae, the volutes.

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand. It is found off the east coast.

Habitat

This volute lives at depths of between 180 and 700 m, although empty shells are sometimes found in shallower water, presumably carried there by hermit crabs.

Shell description

This rare shell is highly prized by collectors.

The shell height is up to 140 mm, and the width up to 48 mm.

Further reading

• Powell A W B, New Zealand Mollusca, William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979 ISBN 0-00-216906-1
• Glen Pownall, New Zealand Shells and Shellfish, Seven Seas Publishing Pty Ltd, Wellington, New Zealand 1979 ISBN 0-85467-054-8

Wikidata ☰ Q3174553 entry