Purpurellus pinniger | |
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Gastropod shell of Purpurellus pinniger with operculum, 45.6 mm in length, found at low tide in gravely sand and rocky rubble near boulders, Gobernadora Island, Panama. | |
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Species: | P. pinniger |
Binomial name | |
Purpurellus pinniger (Broderip, 1833) | |
Synonyms [1] | |
Centrifuga inezanaDurham, 1950 Contents |
Purpurellus pinniger [1] is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.
The shell is bright white and glossy with irregular bands of brown. There are three strong varices bearing an irregular fluted or wavy edge, and a sharply incurved spine on the varix of later whorls. The early whorls can appear translucent and show a brownish blue color beneath. The varix on the outer lip ends well above the siphonal canal, which is curved, and ends in a wavy flattened edge similar to the varices in shape. The aperture is subovate and the operculum is dark brown. Length 50 mm, width 25 mm. [2]
This species is found subtidally along the coast of Central America from San Marcos Island and Guaymas to Ecuador in water as deep as 82 m. [3]
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.
A varix (pl. varices) is an anatomical feature of the shell of certain sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs. Gastropods whose shells have varices are primarily families and species within the taxonomic groups Littorinimorpha and Neogastropoda.
Neorapana grandis is a species of large predatory tropical sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusks in the family Muricidae, the rock snails.
Maxwellia santarosana, common name the "Santa Rosa murex" is a species of small predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the rock snails.
Pteropurpura festiva, commonly known as the festive murex, is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the rock snails. Native to the Eastern Pacific, these sea snails grow to 34–67 mm in length.
Acanthotrophon carduus is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae in the genus Acanthotrophon, the murex snails or rock snails.
Acanthotrophon sentus is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Muricidae in the genus Acanthotrophon, the murex snails or rock snails.
Bolinus cornutus, or horned murex, is a predatory species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex or rock snails. This species is common along the west coast of Africa, where it prefers moderately shallow waters. The shell of the snail is distinctively large, spiny, and club-shaped, usually pale brown or tan in colour, with an elongated and straight siphonal canal.
Dermomurex gofasi is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.
Eupleura sulcidentata, common name the sharp-ribbed drill, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.
Favartia kalafuti is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.
Maxwellia angermeyerae is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.
Maxwellia gemma, common name : the gem murex, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.
Murexsul harasewychi is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.
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.
Chicoreus loebbeckei is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails. The holotype for this species is preserved in the Aquazoo Löbbecke Museum in Düsseldorf, Germany.
Zacatrophon beebei is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.
Maxwellia is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.
Calliostoma palmeri, common name Palmer's top shell, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Calliostomatidae.
Uvanilla olivacea, common name the blood-spotted star shell, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Turbinidae, the turban snails.