Vexillum patulum, common name the wide-mouth mitre, is a species of small sea snail, marine gastropod mollusk in the family Costellariidae, the ribbed miters.
Description The length of the shell attains 18 mm.
(Original description) The ovate shell is rather thin, slightly ventricose, smooth. It is ash-coloured, variegated and clouded here and there with brown. The columella is four-plaited. The aperture is large. The outer lip is thin and sinuated at the upper part. Reeve, L. A. (1844-1845). Monograph of the genus Mitra. In: Conchologia Iconica, or, illustrations of the shells of molluscous animals, vol. 2, pl. 1-39 and unpaginated text. L. Reeve & Co., London.
Distribution This marine species occurs off South Africa.
References
Turton, W. H. (1932). The marine shells of Port Alfred S. Africa. Humphrey Milford, London. pp. i-xvi, 1-331, pls 1-70. Steyn, D.G. & Lussi, M. (1998) Marine Shells of South Africa. An Illustrated Collector's Guide to Beached Shells. Ekogilde Publishers, Hartebeespoort, South Africa, ii + 264 pp.
External links Sowerby, G. B. III. (1889). Some further notes on marine shells collected at Port Elizabeth, South Africa, with descriptions of some new species. Journal of Conchology. 6(1): 6-15, pl. 1 Dunker, W. (1846). Diagnoses Molluscorum novorum. Zeitschrift für Malakozoologie. 3: 108-112.