Some worn specimens can be collected – rarely – along the beaches of the Bay of Biscay, and the species has been dredged by the “Talisman” at 550m and 1084m deep, off Western Morocco, in 1883 (Expéditions scientifiques du “Travailleur” et du “Talisman”… vol. IV tome 1, Paris 1897, p.359). This last catch may be related to a downslope transportation. Original taxon: Murex contrarius.

Left: in W. Kobelt: “Die Gattungen Pyrula und Fusus : nebst Ficula, Bulbus, Tudicla, Busycon, Neptunea und Euthria”, Systematisches Conchylien-Cabinet Bd.3:Abt.3B, Nürnberg 1881, plate XIIIb fig.3 and not XIV-1 as writen p.71. – Right: in W. Kobelt: Iconographie der schalentragenden europäischen Meeresconchylien vol. II, Cassel 1887, plate XI fig.1 and not XIV-1 as writen again p.65. Apart from the sinistral coiling, the shell is characterized by its strong spiral sculpture.

Alternatively warming up and cooling down, Earth’s climate launched in Mediterranean Sea many species from African coast or North Europe. Here, a subfossil contraria of about 144mm, dredged in the circalittoral off Ebre delta, Catalunya, NE. Spain. « It comes from Ice Age sediments, representing occasional but well documented findings at the Catalonian and Balearic seas, mixted with the modern fauna. These Mediterranean Neptunea lived together with Artica islandica, Panomya norvegica, Chlamys islandica, among other species. » – comment and pictures provided by J. Juárez Ruiz (ES) – (CC BY-NC-SA).