(Montagu, 1803)
Description (shell):
Shell a slender, slightly translucent, glossy cone of up to nine tumid whorls (breadth about 30 % of height); sutures deep, without a subsutural band, profile slightly turreted. Sculpture of narrow, flexuous, buttress-like costae, dipping sharply to sutures; fine, flat spiral ridges and flexuous growth lines visible with hand lens; spiral element often more pronounced towards apex. Protoconch of three and one-half whorls, smooth, becoming reticulate. Aperture long, narrow, almost parallel-sided; anal sinus small, with slightly flared margin; siphonal canal rather long. Outer lip with varix in older shells; inner lip reflected over columellar region, without clear delineation.
Size:
Up to 18 x 5.5 mm.
Colour:
Light horn-coloured with darker spiral bands; costae milk-white.
Animal:
Like the other Mangelia species, but has eyes near the base of cephalic tentacles. Colour white with opaque white spots.
Habitat:
Sublittoral, on sand or clay bottoms down to 150 m.
Distribution:
Distributed from Mediterranean to Northern Norway; absent from southern North Sea (Distr. M. attenuata).