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mitre shell
marine snail
Also known as: Mitridae
mitre shell, any of several marine snails constituting the family Mitridae (subclass Prosobranchia of the class Gastropoda, phylum Mollusca), in which the thick shell typically is bullet shaped, vaguely resembling a bishop’s headdress, or mitre. Mitres are most common in the Indo-Pacific region. The 10-centimetre (4-inch) episcopal mitre (Mitra mitra), which has an orange-checked shell, is one of the largest members of the family.
This article was most recently revised and updated by John P. Rafferty.
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