Solander’s Trivia, Pusula solandri

Solander’s Trivia, Pusula solandri. Size: 1.6 cm (0.6 inches) x 1.2 cm (0.5 inches). Identification courtesy of Bob Hillis.

Solander’s Trivia, Pusula solandri (Gray, 1832), is a member of the Triviidae Family of Trivia Shells, that is also known at the Sea Button. The shells have an internal spire, the central ribs end in knobs at the furrow on the dorsal apex of the body whorl, and the aperture is fairly straight and toothed on both lips. They are a light brown or light gray in color and some have a pinkish tinge; the central ribs end in lighter colored knobs. Solander’s Trivia Shells reach a maximum length of 2.1 cm (0.8 inches).

Solander’s Trivias reside attached to and under rocks in the intertidal zone to depths up to 115 feet. They are more commonly found as dead specimens washed up on the beach. They range from Southern California to Peru, including the Galapagos Islands and they are found throughout most of the Sea of Cortez.

Synonyms include Cypraea solandri, Pasula padreserrai, and Trivia solandri.