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mitre shell
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mitre shell

marine snail
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Also known as: Mitridae
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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.