About Mitra mitra (Linnaeus, 1758)
This species, Mitra mitra (Linnaeus, 1758), reaches a maximum shell length of 18 cm, and most individuals grow to 14 cm in shell length. As with all members of the family Mitridae, its shell is elongate, somewhat fusiform, and has a high spire. The shell aperture is elongate and narrow, while the outer lip is smooth and lacks liration (grooving). Unlike other species in the genus Mitra, the spire of Mitra mitra is not strongly shouldered. The shell surface is smooth, with only a small number of weak spiral grooves located towards the anterior end of the shell. The base shell colour is white, marked with spiral rows of large, irregular orange or red spots. This species is widespread across the Indo-Pacific region. Its distribution extends from East Africa (including Madagascar and the Red Sea) east to eastern Polynesia, reaches north to southern Japan, Wake Island and Hawaii, and extends south to Australia. It inhabits intertidal and sublittoral zones, and can be found down to a depth of approximately 80 meters.
