Hexaplex nigritus
| Hexaplex nigritus (Black Murex Shell) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Shell of Hexaplex nigritus (Philippi, 1845), and operculum measuring 78.7 mm in height, from Concepcion Bay, in Mexico. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| (unranked): | clade Caenogastropoda clade Hypsogastropoda clade Neogastropoda |
| Superfamily: | Muricoidea |
| Family: | Muricidae |
| Subfamily: | Muricinae |
| Genus: | Hexaplex |
| Species: | H. nigritus |
| Binomial name | |
| Hexaplex nigritus (Philippi, 1845) | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Hexaplex nigritus, the Northern Radix or Black-and-White Murex or Black Murex, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails. It is commonly known as the black murex shell.[1]
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]
Description
Shells of Hexaplex 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.
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.
References
- 1 2 Hexaplex nigritus (Philippi, 1845). Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 3 March 2012.
- 1 2 Hardy's Internet Guide to Marine Gastropods
- ↑ 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]
- ↑ Whatsup San Carlos
Bibliography
- A. P. H. Oliver, James Nicholls - Hamlyn Guide to Shells of the World
- Angeline Myra Keen - Sea Shells of Tropical West America
- B. Garrigues, J-P. Pointier D. Merle - Fossil and Recent Muricidae of the World
- Jerome M. Eisenberg - Collector's guide to Seashells of the World
- Merle D., Garrigues B. & Pointier J.-P. (2011) Fossil and Recent Muricidae of the world. Part Muricinae. Hackenheim: Conchbooks. 648 pp. [