The Second One

by Richard Salisbury

This dull looking Miter may be among the rarest of the Pacific Miters. Only 12mm long it hardly rates as a treasure. It is Mitra (Strigatella) bellula A. Adams, 1853. It was described from a single specimen. Adams designated Capul Island, Philippines as the Type locality.

In 1976 the Holotype was figured in Walter Cernohorsky's Miter monograph in the "Indo-Pacific Mollusca." He stated that the Holotype remained the only known specimen. Because of the lack of other specimens he was unsure whether this was a distinct species.

This Guam shell came from a huge rubble and boulder pile near the cliffs at Orote Point. It was collected there by Jim Rodgers. Unfortunately, it was crabbed. Living specimens probably inhabit the silt and sand deep within this rubble pile. The shell is white with a very pustulate spire, becoming smooth on the later whorls. It is encircled by extremely faint brown spiral lines. The really distinctive characteristic of this species is the red-brown spots just below the sutures. The only other Miter even closely related is Mitra nivea Broderip, 1836. Mitra nivea is a large Miter many times the size of bellula. Both species have reddish spots near the sutures. The adult nivea is encircled with fine spiral threads unlike the smooth sculpture of bellula. Mitra nivea has not been recorded from Guam. I believe Strigatella bellula is a rare and distinct species.