Distribution: Rare in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Distributed throughout the Indo-West Pacific region. In Australia recorded from around Geraldton in Western Australia, across the tropical north, the Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, south to northern New South Wales and including Lord Howe Island. 

Ecological Notes: Inhabit rocky and coral reef areas, frequently heavily encrusted with marine growth. 

Additional Notes: Shells have a number of relatively long blunted spines and there is a distinct ridged operculum. Carnivores, they feed mainly on barnacles, bivalves and other molluscs, using a special radula to first drill a hole in the shell of the prey. Specimen pictured approximately 20 mm in length. Grows to 31 mm.

References: The Seashells of New South Wales, Des Beechey, Senior Fellow, Australian Museum, Release 25. Website at https://seashellsofnsw.org.au/Muricidae/Pages/muricidae_intro.htm#Coverage. Accessed 06/11/2018.

Atlas of Living Australia website at https://bie.ala.org.au/search?q=drupa+ricinus. Accessed 06/11/2018.