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. Recent genetic and geometric morphometric research using shell shape and size has demonstrated that a formerly recognised subspecies Penion cuvierianus jeakingsi is closely related to Penion ormesi, instead of Penion curierianus, and the taxon has been synonymised with P. ormesi. 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: Penion cuvierianus cuvierianus (Powell, 1927) Subspecies brought into synonymy Penion cuvierianus jeakingsi (Powell, 1947): synonym of Penion ormesi (Powell, 1927) References External links Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Taxon: Penion cuvierianus Powell, 1927 (Species) Auckland War Memorial Museum Penion cuvierianus cuvierianus Massey University NZ Fauna Scanned 3D model of Penion cuvierianus Natural History Museum Rotterdam - Mollusca - Gastropoda - Buccinidae Buccinidae Gastropods of New Zealand Gastropods described in 1927 Taxa named by Arthur William Baden Powell