Venus comb murex

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Venus comb murex
Fishbone Murex Shell (10 cm) (234941311).jpg
A live Murex pecten in situ
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
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.

Contents

Distribution

This species is native to Indo-Pacific waters.

Shell description

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.

X-ray image of the shell of Murex pecten, anterior end downwards. 6-Venus.jpg
X-ray image of the shell of Murex pecten, anterior end downwards.
Posterior and side views of a shell that is 15 cm long MurexPectenGlobal.jpg
Posterior and side views of a shell that is 15 cm long

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muricidae</span> 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 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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<i>Vokesimurex dentifer</i> Species of gastropod

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<i>Vokesimurex elenensis</i> Species of gastropod

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<i>Vokesimurex kiiensis</i> Species of gastropod

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<i>Vokesimurex sobrinus</i> Species of gastropod

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<i>Vokesimurex tryoni</i> Species of gastropod

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<i>Haustellum</i> Genus of gastropods

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References

  1. Paul, C. R. (31 March 1981). "The function of the spines in Murex (Murex) pecten Lightfoot and related species (Prosobranchia: Muricidae)". Journal of Conchology. 30: 285.