About Nassarius pauperatus (Lamarck, 1822)
The shell of Nassarius pauperatus ranges in length from 12 mm to 20 mm. The shell is ovate and conical, with a pointed summit. Its pyramidal spire is made up of six or seven distinct, smooth, convex whorls. These whorls are covered in very prominent, convex, longitudinal folds, which are only intersected by a few fairly deep transverse striae at the base and on the two or three upper whorls. On these upper whorls, the striae become finer and closer together, and they rarely appear across the entire shell surface. Similarly, the longitudinal folds are not present on the right portion of the body whorl. The shell's base color is violaceous white. A dark red zone borders the suture, and a broader, browner band encircles the middle of the body whorl. This marine species is endemic to Australia, and can be found off the coasts of New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia.
