Hexaplex radix
| Hexaplex radix | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Five views of a shell of Hexaplex radix | |
| 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. radix |
| Binomial name | |
| Hexaplex radix (Gmelin, 1791) | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
Hexaplex 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][3]
Distribution
This species can be found in the western Pacific in parts of Central America (Baja California, from Mexico to Peru).[2][4]
Habitat
These sea snails live along the tropical coasts in shallow waters among intertidal rocks.
Description
Shells of Hexaplex 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 spyny, 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.[5]
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.[5][6]
Biology
Hexaplex radix feeds primarily on clams.
References
- 1 2 Hexaplex radix (Gmelin, 1791). Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 3 March 2012.
- 1 2 3 Hardy's Internet Guide to Marine Gastropods
- ↑ Biolib
- ↑ Galli C.: WMSDB - Wolrdwide Mollusc Species Data Base
- 1 2 George E. Radwin,Anthony D'Attilio Murex Shells of the World: An Illustrated Guide to the Muricidae, Pg 78
- ↑ Whatsup San Carlos
External links
Bibliography
- A. Keen - Sea Shells of Tropical West America
- Arianna Fulvo and Roberto Nistri (2005). 350 coquillages du monde entier. Delachaux et Niestlé (Paris) : 256 p. (ISBN 2-603-01374-2)
- G. E. Radwin - Murex Shells of the World - An Illustrated Guide to the Muricidae
- Merle D., Garrigues B. & Pointier J.-P. (2011) Fossil and Recent Muricidae of the world. Part Muricinae. Hackenheim: Conchbooks. 648 pp.
- Pfleger V. (1999): České názvy živočichů III. Měkkýši (Mollusca) - Národní muzeum, Praha, 108 pp.
- V. Alamo and V. Valdivieso M. - Systematic List of Peruvian Marine Molluscs