Babelomurex cariniferus

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Babelomurex cariniferus
Babelomurex cariniferus 001.jpg
Apertural view of Babelomurex cariniferus
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Neogastropoda
Family: Muricidae
Genus: Babelomurex
Species:
B. cariniferus
Binomial name
Babelomurex cariniferus
(Sowerby I, 1834)
Synonyms [2]
  • Babelomurex (Babelomurex) babelisRéquien, E., 1848
  • Babelomurex (Babelomurex) bozzettiKosuge, S., 1994
  • Babelomurex spinulosusCosta, O.G., 1861
  • Coralliophila babelisRequien
  • Coralliophila carinataKoroneos, 1979
  • Coralliophila lacerata(Deshayes, 1856)
  • Coralliophila lacerata var. piruloidesMartens, 1876 (dubious synonym)
  • Fusus babelisRequien, 1848
  • Fusus babelis var. regalisRequien, 1848
  • Latiaxis babelis(Requien, 1848) (junior synonym)
  • Latiaxis cariniferus(Sowerby I, 1834) (currently placed in genus Babelomurex)
  • Latiaxis elegansAngas, 1878 (synonym)
  • Murex cariniferusSowerby G.B. I, 1834
  • Murex laceratumDeshayes, 1856 (dubious synonym)
  • Pseudomurex minor Monterosato, T.A. de M. di, 1872
  • Purpura gravesiiBroderip, 1837

Babelomurex cariniferus, common name Babel's latiaxis, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails. [2] [3]

Contents

Distribution

Babelomurex cariniferus is present from the Mediterranean Sea to the west coast of Africa (Canaries, Cape Verde, Angola). [2] [4] [5] [6]

This species (as junior synonym Latiaxis babelis) is listed in the IUCN Red List, because it is thought to be endemic to Malta. [1]

Habitat

These sea snails live in the coral reef among corals and sponges. They can be found from a few meters to more than 1000. [2] [7]

A shell of Babelomurex cariniferus from Sicily Muricidae - Babelomurex cariniferus.jpg
A shell of Babelomurex cariniferus from Sicily

Description

Shells of Babelomurex cariniferus can reach a size of 20–45 millimetres (0.79–1.77 in). [5] The shell surface may be whitish or dark greyish. [8] These shells are variably shaped. They show numerous flattened spires with very thorny axial ribs. The keels of the whorls are adorned with several spiniform scales. A corneous operculum is present. [7] [9]

This species is quite similar to Babelomurex benoiti , but Babelomurex cariniferus is more variable in feature and sculpture and differs in the number of spiniform scales. [10]

Biology

These uncommon infralittoral sea snails are specialist feeders. In fact they feed exclusively on the polyps of the colonies of scleractinian stony corals. [7] [11]

Related Research Articles

<i>Latiaxis</i> Genus of gastropods

Latiaxis is a genus of medium-sized sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Muricidae, subfamily Coralliophilinae, the coral snails or coral shells.

<i>Monoplex parthenopeus</i> Species of gastropod

Monoplex parthenopeus, common name the giant triton or giant hairy triton, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cymatiidae. It preys on other molluscs.

Coralliophilinae Subfamily of gastropods

Coralliophilinae is a taxonomic group, a subfamily of about 200–250 sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks commonly known as the coral snails or coral shells. This is a subfamily within the very large family Muricidae, the murex or rock snails.

<i>Stramonita haemastoma</i> Species of gastropod

Stramonita haemastoma, common name the red-mouthed rock shell or the Florida dog winkle, is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Muricidae, the rock snails.

<i>Conus genuanus</i> Species of sea snail

Conus genuanus, common name the garter cone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies.

<i>Fissurella nubecula</i> Species of gastropod

Fissurella nubecula, common name the cloudy keyhole limpet, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets.

<i>Babelomurex benoiti</i> Species of gastropod

Babelomurex benoiti is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.

<i>Claremontiella nodulosa</i> Species of gastropod

Claremontiella nodulosa, common name : the blackberry drupe, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.

Jujubinus gravinae is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Trochidae, the top snails.

<i>Luria lurida</i> Species of gastropod

Luria lurida is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

<i>Sinum bifasciatum</i> Species of gastropod

Sinum bifasciatum is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Naticidae, the moon snails.

Tectonatica sagraiana is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Naticidae, the moon snails.

<i>Aspa marginata</i> Species of gastropod

Aspa marginata is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Bursidae, the frog shells.

<i>Bursa corrugata</i> Species of gastropod

Bursa corrugata is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Bursidae, the frog shells.

<i>Thetystrombus latus</i> Species of gastropod

Thetystrombus latus, commonly known as the Bubonian conch, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Strombidae, the true conchs.

<i>Natica marochiensis</i> Species of gastropod

Natica marochiensis is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Naticidae, the moon snails.

<i>Doliella nitens</i> Species of gastropod

Doliella nitens is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Pyramidellidae, the pyrams and their allies.

Pyrgolidium internodula is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Pyramidellidae, the pyrams and their allies.

<i>Turbonilla lactea</i> Species of gastropod

Turbonilla lactea is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Pyramidellidae, the pyrams and their allies.

<i>Glycymeris bimaculata</i> Species of bivalve

Glycymeris bimaculata is a marine bivalve mollusc in the family Glycymerididae.

References

  1. 1 2 Palazzi, S. (1996). "Latiaxis babelis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 1996: e.T11368A3273689. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T11368A3273689.en .
  2. 1 2 3 4 Babelomurex cariniferus (Sowerby, 1834) . Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species  on 24 April 2010.
  3. Biolib
  4. Galli C.: WMSDB - Worldwide Mollusc Species Data Base
  5. 1 2 "Babelomurex (Babelomurex) cariniferus". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  6. Discover Life
  7. 1 2 3 "Ginux.univpm". Archived from the original on 16 June 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  8. Giovanni Nikiforos (2002). Fauna del Mediterraneo. Giunti Editore. p. 184. ISBN   978-88-09-02608-7.
  9. Conchiglie del Mediterraneo
  10. Ghisotti, F., 1978: Considerations on Latiaxis babelis and on Latiaxis amaliae Conchiglie (Milan) 14(7-8): 135-142
  11. Alexandra Richter and Angel A. Luque Sex change in two Mediterranean species of Coralliophilidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Neogastropoda)

Bibliography