Venus comb murex | |
---|---|
A live Murex pecten in situ | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Gastropoda |
Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
Order: | Neogastropoda |
Family: | Muricidae |
Genus: | Murex |
Species: | M. pecten |
Binomial name | |
Murex pecten Lightfoot, 1786 | |
The Venus comb murex, scientific name Murex pecten, is a species of large predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the rock snails or murex snails. [1] The shell of this Indo-Pacific species has a very long siphonal canal, and numerous spines.
This species is native to Indo-Pacific waters.
The shell of this snail has an extremely long siphonal canal.
The shell has over one hundred spines, which provide protection from predation, and prevent the snail from sinking in the soft mud. Like many other Murex snails, it feeds on other mollusks.
This is a common species, but perfect specimens of the shell are not easily found because of the fragility of the numerous long spines. The species grows to between 10 and 15 cm in length.
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 over 1,700 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.
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.
Chicoreus ramosus, common name the ramose murex or branched murex, is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails. It is considered an economically important species in the Indo-West Pacific, especially in India.
Murex tribulus, the caltrop murex, is a species of large predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Muricidae, the rock snails or murex 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.
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.
The mangrove murex is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.
Chicoreus axicornis, the axicornis murex or centre-horned murex, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.
Chicoreus elisae is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.
Chicoreus rachelcarsonae is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.
Favartia hilli 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.
Murexsul sunderlandi 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.
Vokesimurex dentifer is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.
Vokesimurex elenensis, common name the (Santa) Elena murex, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.
Vokesimurex kiiensis, common name Kii murex, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.
Vokesimurex sobrinus is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.
Vokesimurex tryoni is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.
Haustellum is a genus of medium-sized sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails. Like many other genera within the Muricidae, the genus has been redefined several times.