About Micrelenchus sanguineus (J.E.Gray, 1843)
Micrelenchus sanguineus (J.E.Gray, 1843) is a species of marine sea snail. The shell of this species grows to a length of 9 mm, with a diameter of 7 mm. The small, imperforate shell has a conical shape, and is greenish or whitish marked with bloodred spots. The shell's sculpture is made up of spiral bands called cinguli, with very narrow grooves lying between the bands. There are 5 to 6 cinguli on the penultimate whorl, and 10 to 14 cinguli on the body whorl. Sometimes these cinguli are slightly bead-like (moniliform). The base of the shell has around 5 cinguli. The full shell colour is green, with oblique longitudinal rows of blood-red spots positioned on the cinguli. The first three whorls are sometimes reddish or brownish with radiate white streaks; below the suture, the shell is very often tessellated with white, brown, and red. The acute spire is elevated and conical, with slightly convex sides. The protoconch is conical, made up of 1½ strongly convex, smooth whorls that are mostly pearly. The six whorls of the spire are flatly convex, and the final (body) whorl is angled at its periphery. The base of the shell is slightly convex. The sutures between whorls are impressed. The oblique aperture is iridescent and marked with internal lirae. The outer lip is solid, often strengthened internally by a white callosity. The arcuate columella is nearly vertical. The inner lip spreads a small amount over the impressed, concave umbilical tract. The parietal wall has a more or less thick callus. This marine species is endemic to New Zealand, where it occurs off the coasts of the North Island, South Island, and Stewart Island.
