Tritia corniculum (Olivi, 1792)
Galicia to Canarias, Azores to Mediterranean. Reported from N. Brittany (Gully & al., 2013). Scavenger in shallow water and on intertidal grounds, mostly muddy, but also on rocky bottoms. Original taxon: Buccinum corniculum.
1-2m deep, in sand and rocks, Málaga, Andalucia, S. Spain.
11-16mm.
Extremely variable in shape, pattern and sculpture.
Synonyms: corniculata, discrepans, fasciolatum, mitrella, oblongum, olivacea, politum, trifasciata… In shallow water on rocks near sand pockets, southwestern cove of the islands, Isola Rossa, NW. Corsica. 15-16mm.
« Buccinum parvum, sulcatum laeve ex fusco dilute coloratum. Abita nei fondi fangosi, e probabilmente arenosi. » – G. Olivi: Zoologia adriatica, Bassano 1792. Above: contrasted examples of this very variable species. 25-45m deep, Alger bay, Wilaya of El Djazaïr, Algeria. 11-12,5mm.
Near the lighthouse of the Canal du Rhône à Sète, Frontignan, northeastern shore of Thau Lagoon, Sète, Hérault, Occitania, S. France. Original picture provided by P. Girard for iNaturalist.
– (CC BY) –
1,5m deep, on rocks, Málaga. 14,7mm.
Original pictures provided by J. M. Martin (ES).
– (CC BY-NC-SA) –
Pretty pattern on this large specimen from Portugal.
At low tide, on sand, Faro, Rio Formosa, Algarve. 15mm.
Dark population in the variant “olivaceus”, Cagliari bay, S. Sardinia. 5-8m deep, by nets. 16-17mm.
Pale specimen from Málaga, 1-2m deep, in rocks. 11,5mm.
Málaga again, in tide pools. 12-16mm.
The species in H. M. D. de Blainville: “Malacozoaires ou Animaux Mollusques”, Faune française, Paris 1828-1830?, plate VI B.
Juvenile.
Port-la-Nouvelle, Aude, Occitania, S. France. 1,5mm.

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