Penion cuvierianus


Penion cuvierianus is a species of very large predatory sea snail or whelk, commonly called the flaring penion, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Buccinidae, the true whelks.

Description

Penion cuvierianus is a very large species of siphon whelk. Shells vary between ivory and yellow in colouration.

Distribution

Penion cuvierianus is endemic to New Zealand. The taxonomic name is a reference to the type locality of Cuvier Island. The species has an abundant fossil record in the North Island of New Zealand.
The species occurs in the subtidal zone between depths of 20 and 200 metres.

Subspecies

These subspecies have been recognised: