Muricanthus radix | |
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Five views of a shell of Muricanthus radix | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Gastropoda |
Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
Order: | Neogastropoda |
Superfamily: | Muricoidea |
Family: | Muricidae |
Genus: | Muricanthus |
Species: | M. radix |
Binomial name | |
Muricanthus radix (Gmelin, 1791) | |
Synonyms [1] | |
Muricanthus radix, the radix murex or root murex, [2] is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails. [1]
This species can be found in the western Pacific in parts of Central America (Baja California, from Mexico to Peru). [2] [3]
These sea snails live along the tropical coasts in shallow waters among intertidal rocks.
Shells of Muricanthus radix can reach a size of 50–160 millimetres (2.0–6.3 in). [2] These large, massive, heavy shells are globose or pear-shaped and very spiny, with a white surface and blackish-brown foliations and spiral elements. The body whorls have six to eleven varices. The aperture is large, broad, ovate and porcelaneous white. The outer edges are strongly dentate. The siphonal canal is moderately long. The operculum is dark brown. [4]
This species is quite similar to Hexaplex nigritus . The shells of these two species mainly differ in the length, width and in the proportion of blackish-brown versus white. Moreover, shells of H. radix are less oblong and show less spines in black. [4] [5]
Hexaplex radix feeds primarily on clams.
Hexaplex trunculus is a medium-sized sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex shells or rock snails. It is included in the subgenus Trunculariopsis.
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.
Bolinus brandaris, and commonly known as the purple dye murex or the spiny dye-murex, is a species of medium-sized predatory sea snail, an edible marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or the rock snails.
Poirieria zelandica, common name the spiny murex, is a species of large predatory sea snail with an operculum. It is a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Muricidae, the rock snails or murex snails.
Dicathais is a genus of predatory sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Muricidae, the rock snails. This genus is monotypic; the only species in it is Dicathais orbita, common name the white rock shell or cart-rut shell, found round the coasts of Australia and New Zealand.
Murex trapa, common name the rare-spined murex, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc of the family Muricidae, the rock snails.
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.
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.
Turbinella angulata, common name the West Indian chank shell or Lamp Shell, is a species of very large tropical sea snail with a gill and an operculum, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Turbinellidae.
Conus coronatus, common name the crowned cone or the coronated cone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies.
Hexaplex erythrostomus is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.
Hexaplex regius, common name: the regal murex, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.
Pygmaepterys poormani is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.
Hexaplex fulvescens, the giant eastern murex or giant Atlantic murex or tawny murex, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.
Muricanthus ambiguus is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.
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.
Murichorda fiscellum, common name : the little basket drupe, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.
Muricanthus is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.
Muricopsinae is a taxonomic subfamily of predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks within the large family Muricidae, the murex snails and rock snails.
Muricanthus callidinus is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.