Muricanthus nigritus

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Muricanthus nigritus
Muricanthus nigritus.jpg
Shell of Muricanthus nigritus (Philippi, 1845), and operculum measuring 78.7 mm in height, from Concepcion Bay, in Mexico.
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Neogastropoda
Superfamily: Muricoidea
Family: Muricidae
Genus: Muricanthus
Species:
M. nigritus
Binomial name
Muricanthus nigritus
(Philippi, 1845)
Synonyms [1]
  • Hexaplex (Muricanthus) nigritus(Philippi, 1845)
  • Hexaplex nigritus(Philippi, 1845)
  • Murex (Phyllonotus) melanoleucaMörch, 1852 (uncesserary substitute name for Murex nigrita)
  • Murex melanoleucaMørch, 1852
  • Murex nigritasensu Meuschen Mørch, 1852 (original spelling, incorrect gender )
  • Murex nigritusPhilippi, 1845 (basionym)

Muricanthus nigritus, the Northern Radix or Black-and-White Murex or Black Murex, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails. It is commonly known as the black murex shell. [1]

Contents

Distribution

The black murex shell is commonly found in the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez), in the Western Mexico. [2]

Habitat

These sea snails can be found in the intertidal and subtidal waters, with sand and gravel substrate, at depths up to 60 m. [3]

A shell of Hexaplex nigritus from Gulf of California, on display at the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Milano Muricidae - Hexaplex nigritus.JPG
A shell of Hexaplex nigritus from Gulf of California, on display at the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Milano

Description

Shells of Muricanthus nigritus can reach a length of 75–200 millimetres (3.0–7.9 in). [2] These large shells are black and white with black or dark brown stripes. The shell surface bears short spikes around the body whorl and spire. The aperture is porcelaneous white.[ citation needed ]

This species is quite similar to Hexaplex radix . The shells of these two species mainly differ in the length, width and in the proportion of black versus white. Moreover, shells of H. nigritus are more oblong and show more spines in black. [4]

Biology

These sea snails feed primarily on clams.

Related Research Articles

Muricidae Family of molluscs

Muricidae is a large and varied taxonomic family of small to large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks, commonly known as murex snails or rock snails. With about 1,600 living species, the Muricidae represent almost 10% of the Neogastropoda. Additionally, 1,200 fossil species have been recognized. Numerous subfamilies are recognized, although experts disagree about the subfamily divisions and the definitions of the genera. Many muricids have unusual shells which are considered attractive by shell collectors and by interior designers.

Muricinae Subfamily of gastropods

Muricinae is a taxonomic subfamily of predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks within the large family Muricidae, the murex snails and rock snails.

<i>Hexaplex</i> Genus of gastropods

Hexaplex is a genus of medium-sized to large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the subfamily muracinae of the family Muricidae, the murex shells or rock snails.

<i>Hexaplex cichoreum</i> Species of gastropod

Hexaplex cichoreum, common name the "endive murex", is a medium-sized species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex shells or rock snails.

<i>Hexaplex erythrostomus</i> Species of gastropod

Hexaplex erythrostomus is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.

<i>Phyllonotus oculatus</i> Species of gastropod

Phyllonotus oculatus, common name the oculate apple murex, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.

Dermomurex obeliscus is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.

Dermomurex olssoni is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.

<i>Haustellum tweedianum</i> Species of gastropod

Haustellum tweedianum, common name : the Tweed murex, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.

<i>Hexaplex duplex</i> Species of gastropod

Hexaplex duplex is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.

<i>Hexaplex kuesterianus bozzadamii</i> Species of gastropod

Hexaplex kuesterianus bozzadamii is a subspecies of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.

Hexaplex kuesterianus is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.

<i>Hexaplex stainforthi</i> Species of gastropod

Hexaplex stainforthi is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.

<i>Muricanthus radix</i> Species of gastropod

Muricanthus radix, the radix murex or root murex, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.

<i>Calotrophon carnicolor</i> Species of gastropod

Calotrophon carnicolor is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.

<i>Chicoreus miyokoae</i> Species of gastropod

Chicoreus miyokoae, common name : the Miyoko Murex, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.

Siratus vokesorum is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.

Vokesimurex multiplicatus is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.

<i>Muricanthus</i> Genus of gastropods

Muricanthus is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.

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

References

  1. 1 2 MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Muricanthus nigritus (Philippi, 1845). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=406197 on 2021-08-25
  2. 1 2 "Hexaplex (Muricanthus) nigritus". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  3. ↑ R. Cudney-Bueno and K. Rowell [THE BLACK MUREX SNAIL, HEXAPLEXNIGRITUS (MOLLUSCA, MURICIDAE), IN THE GULFOF CALIFORNIA, MEXICO: II. GROWTH, LONGEVITY, AND MORPHOLOGICAL VARIATIONS WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR MANAGEMENT OF A RAPIDLY DECLINING FISHERY]
  4. ↑ Whatsup San Carlos

Bibliography


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