Oliva porphyria

Oliva porphyria, common name the tent olive, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Olividae, the olives. Its shell pattern has been studied as an example of a Turing pattern that can be modeled with cellular automata.

Subspecies

Oliva porphyria erythrostoma F.C. Meuschen, 1787

Description

The length of the shell can vary between 30 mm and 135 mm. The flesh-colored shell is angularly marked with some large, and many small, crowded, deep chestnut lines. The fasciole is tinged with violet, with chestnut maculations. The interior of the aperture and columella is yellowish flesh-color. Sometimes the shell is very faintly, broadly two- or three-banded with bluish ash.

Distribution

This marine species occurs in the Panama Zone to Western Mexico, to Northern Peru.