About Mitrella ocellata (Gmelin, 1791)
The shell of Mitrella ocellata ranges in size from 6 mm to 14 mm. This small, oblong shell is moderately thick, cylindrical, and smooth. Its base color is fawn or red, marked with small, round white dots arranged regularly in quincunxes or a network pattern. The spire is made up of eleven whorls, which are typically truncated at the summit. The whorls are subconnate, and surrounded at their upper portion by an articulated band of white and brown. The body whorl is decorated near its base with numerous fine transverse striae. The aperture is narrow and violet in color. The outer lip is obtuse, thick, and nearly straight, and has many small folds or teeth on its inner side. The upper end of the lip forms the start of an emargination. The entire outer surface of the shell is covered by a thin, reddish, membranous periosteum; this layer is transparent enough that the shell's underlying colors are visible through it. This is a marine species with a wide distribution. It has been recorded in the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Atlantic Ocean off the coasts of South America and Africa, as well as on remote Atlantic islands including Ascension Island and Saint Helena.
