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.[citation needed]
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.[citation needed]
Shell description
This rare shell is highly prized by collectors.[citation needed]
The shell height is up to 140 mm, and the width up to 48 mm.[citation needed]
References
- ^ "Provocator mirabilis (H. J. Finlay, 1926)". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
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