Surf Wiki
Save to docs
general/murex

From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base

Murex

Genus of gastropods

Murex
Summary

Genus of gastropods

  • Acupurpura Jousseaume, 1880
  • Aranea Perry, 1810 (Invalid: junior homonym of Aranea Linnaeus, 1758 [Arachnida])
  • Murex (Murex) Linnaeus, 1758· accepted, alternate representation
  • Murex (Promurex) Ponder & Vokes, 1988· accepted, alternate representation
  • Murex (Tubicauda) Jousseaume, 1880 junior subjective synonym
  • † Muricites Schlotheim, 1820 (Invalid under Art. 20: name established for fossils, formed by adding the suffix -ites to the genus name Murex.)
  • Tubicauda Jousseaume, 1880

Murex is a genus of medium to large sized predatory tropical sea snails. These are carnivorous marine gastropod molluscs in the family Muricidae, commonly called "murexes" or "rock snails".

The common name murex is still used for many species in the family Muricidae which were originally given the Latin generic name Murex, but have more recently been regrouped into newer genera. Murex was used in antiquity to describe spiny sea snails, especially those associated with the production of purple dye*. Murex* is one of the oldest classical seashell names still used by the scientific community.

Aristotle described these mollusks in his History of Animals using the Greek term πορφύρα (porphyra).

Etymology

The term murex originates from the Latin word mūrex, likely related to the Greek word μύαξ (myax), meaning sea mussel. The connection between these terms suggests a shared linguistic root, possibly linked to the Greek word μῦς (mys), meaning "mouse," due to the perceived resemblance between the shape of certain mollusks and mice.

Fossil records

This genus is known in the fossil records from the Cretaceous to the Quaternary (age range: from 125.45 to 0.0 million years ago). Fossils of species within this genus have been found all over the world. There are about 25 known extinct species.

''Murex altispira''
Fossil shell of ''Murex spinicosta'' from [[Pliocene]] of Italy

Distribution

Murex is solely an Indo-Pacific genus, as demonstrated by Ponder & Vokes (1988). The species from the western Atlantic that were formerly considered to belong to the genus Murex are now placed in the genus Haustellum.

Habitat

Most Murex species live in the intertidal or shallow subtidal zone, among rocks and corals.

Shell description

This genus includes many showy members, their elongate shells highly sculptured with spines or fronds. The inner surfaces of their ornate shells are often brightly colored.

Human use

Costly and labor-intensive dyes Tyrian purple (or "royal purple") and tekhelet were historically made by the ancient Phoenicians, using mucus from the hypobranchial gland of two species commonly referred to as "murex", Murex brandaris and Murex trunculus, which are the older names for Bolinus brandaris and Hexaplex trunculus. This dye is a rare animal-produced organobromine compound, which the snails make using a specific bromide peroxidase enzyme that operates on dissolved bromide in sea water.

This dye was used in royal robes, other kinds of special ceremonial or ritual garments, or garments indicating high rank. It is hypothesised that the dye was the same dye as that which featured prominently in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem, the clothing of the High Priest of Israel officiating there; it is sometimes still used by Jews today in the ritual fringes (tzitzit) on four-cornered garments. A consensus has yet to be reached regarding the Biblical source of the "blue" dye, though the latest archeological research on dyes in this region indicates that it was indeed the Murex trunculus snail that was used for the ancient tekhelet dye.

Species

The genus Murex, as originally defined by Linnaeus, encompassed many taxa that are now placed elsewhere in the superfamily Muricoidea. During the 19th century, the definition of Murex was restricted by Lamarck and his contemporaries first to species in the family Muricidae, and then was limited even further to the subfamilies Muricinae and Ocenebrinae. Malacologists of the 19th century including Kiener, Reeve, Küster & Kobelt and Sowerby treated all muricoid forms as belonging to Murex. This is the main reason why Murex has so many synonyms.

The World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) lists the following species with accepted names within the genus Murex. The subgenera are considered alternate representations.

  • Murex acanthostephes Watson, 1883
  • Murex aduncospinosus G.B. Sowerby II, 1841:
  • Murex africanus Ponder & Vokes, 1988
  • Murex altispira Ponder & Vokes, 1988 Caltrop murex
  • Murex antelmei Viader, 1938
  • † Murex bonneti Cossmann, 1903
  • Murex brevispina Lamarck, 1822 Short-spined murex
  • † Murex camplytropis Tate, 1888
  • Murex carbonnieri (Jousseaume, 1881) Carbonnier's murex
  • Murex concinnus Reeve, 1845
  • Murex coppingeri E. A. Smith, 1884
  • † Murex crassiliratus Tate, 1888
  • Murex djarianensis Martin, 1895
    • Murex djarianensis poppei (synonym : Murex (Murex) poppei Houart, 1979)
  • Murex echinodes Houart, 2011
  • Murex falsitribulus Ponder & Vokes, 1988
  • Murex forskoehlio Röding, 1798
  • † Murex grooti H. M. Jenkins, 1864
  • † Murex guppyi Ladd, 1977
  • † Murex halli d'Archiac & Haime, 1854
  • Murex huangi Houart, 2010
  • Murex hystricosus Houart & Dharma, 2001
  • Murex indicus Houart, 2011
  • † Murex irregularis Tate, 1888
  • Murex kerslakae Ponder & Vokes, 1988
  • † Murex lyelli d'Archiac & Haime, 1854 (accepted unreplaced junior homonym)
  • Murex megapex Neubert, 1998
  • † Murex minutus R. M. Johnston, 1880
  • † Murex nasongoensis Ladd, 1977
  • † Murex noae Holten, 1802
  • Murex occa G.B. Sowerby II, 1834 Harrowed murex
  • † Murex paradoxicus H. M. Jenkins, 1864
  • Murex pecten Lightfoot, 1786 ': Venus comb murex
    • Murex pecten soelae
  • Murex philippinensis Parth, 1994
  • Murex protocrassus Houart, 1990
  • Murex queenslandicus Ponder & Vokes, 1988
  • † Murex roemeri d'Archiac & Haime, 1854
  • Murex salomonensis Parth, 1994
  • Murex scolopax Dillwyn, 1817 False venus comb, woodcock murex
  • Murex somalicus Parth, 1990
  • Murex spectabilis Ponder & Vokes, 1988
  • Murex spicatus Ponder & Vokes, 1988
  • Murex spinastreptos Houart, 2010
  • † Murex spinicosta Bronn, 1831
  • Murex surinamensis Okutani, 1982
  • Murex suttipraneeae Gra-tes, 2023
  • † Murex tchihatcheffi d'Archiac & Haime, 1854
  • Murex tenuirostrum Lamarck, 1822
  • Murex ternispina Lamarck, 1822
  • Murex trapa Roding, 1798 Rare-spined murex
  • Murex tribulus Linnaeus, 1758, 1758: Caltrop murex
    • Murex tribulus spicatus
      • Murex tribulus tenuirostrum*
      • Murex tribulus tenuirostrum africanus*
    • Murex tribulus ternispina
  • Murex troscheli Lischke, 1868 Troschel's murex

;Species mentioned as species in current use in the Indo-Pacific Molluscan Database (OBIS) :

  • Murex singaporensis A.Adams, 1853

;Species brought into synonymy :

  • Murex aedonius Watson, 1896: synonym of Coralliophila aedonia (Watson, 1885)
  • Murex afer Gmelin, 1791: synonym of Afer afer (Gmelin, 1791)
  • Murex alocatus: synonym of Pterymarchia barclayana (H. Adams, 1873)
  • Murex antillarum : Antilles murex: synonym of Siratus articulatus (Reeve, 1845)
  • Murex argo Clench & Farfante, 1945: synonym of Chicoreus (Triplex) spectrum (Reeve, 1846)
  • Murex belcheri Hinds, 1843 : synonym of Forreria belcheri (Hinds, 1843)
  • Murex bellus Reeve, 1845: synonym of Vokesimurex bellus (Reeve, 1845)
  • Murex blakeanus Vokes, 1967: synonym of Vokesimurex blakeanus (Vokes, 1967)
  • Murex brandaris Linnaeus, 1758: synonym of Bolinus brandaris (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Murex canaliculatus Linnaeus, 1758: synonym of Busycotypus canaliculatus (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Murex capitellum Linnaeus, 1758: synonym of Vasum capitellum (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Murex corallinus Scacchi, 1836: synonym of Ocinebrina aciculata (Lamarck, 1822)
  • Murex corneus Linnaeus, 1758: synonym of Euthria cornea (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Murex coronatus Born, 1778: synonym of Pseudovertagus aluco (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Murex edwardsii: synonym of Ocinebrina edwardsii (Payraudeau, 1826)
  • Murex garciai Petuch, 1987: synonym of Vokesimurex garciai (Petuch, 1987)
  • Murex gubbi Reeve, 1849: synonym of Chicocenebra gubbi (Reeve, 1849)
  • Murex inconspicuus G.B. Sowerby II, 1841: synonym of Ocinebrina aciculata (Lamarck, 1822)
  • Murex intertextus Helbling, 1779: synonym of* Cumia reticulata*
  • Murex jickelii Tapparone Canefri, 1875: synonym of Naquetia jickelii (Tapparone Canefri, 1875)
  • Murex lindajoycae Petuch, 1987: synonym of Vokesimurex lindajoycae (Petuch, 1987)
  • Murex longicornis Dunker, 1864: synonym of Chicoreus longicornis (Dunker, 1864)
  • Murex maroccensis Gmelin, 1791: synonym of Fusinus maroccensis
  • Murex monodon Sowerby, 1825: synonym of Chicoreus (Chicoreus) cornucervi (Röding, 1798)
  • Murex nassa Gmelin, 1791: synonym of Leucozonia nassa (Gmelin, 1791)
  • Murex nebula Montagu, 1803: synonym of Bela nebula (Montagu, 1803)
  • Murex peritus Hinds, 1844a: synonym of Favartia (Favartia) perita (Hinds, 1844)
  • Murex pistacia Reeve, 1845: synonym of Ocinebrina aciculata (Lamarck, 1822)
  • Murex purpuroides Dunker: synonym of Vaughtia purpuroides (Reeve, 1845)
  • Murex recurvirostris: synonym of Vokesimurex recurvirostrum (Broderip, 1833)
  • Murex rota Sowerby: synonym of Homalocantha anatomica (Perry, 1811)
  • Murex rubidus: synonym of Vokesimurex rubidus (F.C. Baker, 1897)
  • Murex serratospinosus Dunker, 1883: synonym of Vokesimurex mindanaoensis (G.B. Sowerby II, 1841)
  • Murex subaciculatus Locard, 1886: synonym of Ocinebrina aciculata (Lamarck, 1822)
  • Murex taxus Dillwyn, 1817: synonym of Clavatula taxea (Röding, 1798)
  • † Murex textilis Brocchi, 1814: synonym of † Rimosodaphnella textilis (Brocchi, 1814)
  • Murex triqueter: synonym of* Naquetia triqueter* (Born, 1778)
  • Murex tulipa Linnaeus, 1758: synonym of Fasciolaria tulipa (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Murex turbinellus Linnaeus, 1758: synonym of Vasum turbinellus (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Murex vittatus Broderip, 1833: synonym of Favartia (Favartia) vittata (Broderip, 1833)

References

  • Merle, D., Garrigues, B. & Pointier, J.-P. 2011. Fossil and Recent Muricidae of the World, Part Muricinae. 648 pp., 182 colour plates, Hackenheim. .
  • Ponder, W.F. & E.H. Vokes. 1988. A revision of the Indo-West Pacific fossil and Recent species of Murex s.s. and Haustellum (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Muricidae). Records of the Australian Museum, Supplement 8. 160 pp.

References

  1. Houart, R.; Gofas, S. (2010). Murex Linnaeus, 1758. In: Bouchet, P.; Gofas, S.; Rosenberg, G. (2010) World Marine Mollusca database. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=138196 on 2011-04-09
  2. Aristotle.. (1902). "History of animals in ten books". G. Bell.
  3. "murex {{!}} Etymology of murex by etymonline".
  4. [https://paleobiodb.org/classic/checkTaxonInfo?taxon_no=11385 Fossilworks]
  5. (2021). "Early evidence of royal purple dyed textile from Timna Valley (Israel)". PLOS ONE.
  6. Jannun R., Nuwayhid N. and Coe E. (1981) Biological bromination – bromoperoxidase activity in the Murex sea-snail. FASEB. J. 40, 1774.
  7. [http://www.tekhelet.com Tekhelet - Biblical Blue Dye for Tzitzit]
  8. Newman, Marissa. "Linking ancient snails to an Israeli flag in space, a common thread".
  9. [http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=138196 WoRMS : Murex] 23 December 2010
  10. {{WRMS species. 398813. ''Murex acanthostephes'' Watson, 1883. 25 April 2010
  11. ^[http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=215644 Houart, R. (2009). Murex aduncospinosus Sowerby, 1841. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=215644 on 2010-08-06]
  12. {{WRMS species. 404972. ''Murex africanus'' Ponder & Vokes, 1988. 25 April 2010
  13. {{WRMS species. 398836. ''Murex altispira'' Ponder & Vokes, 1988. 25 April 2010
  14. {{WRMS species. 404223. ''Murex carbonnieri'' (Jousseaume, 1881). 25 April 2010
  15. {{WRMS species. 404264. ''Murex concinnus'' Reeve, 1845. 25 April 2010
  16. {{WRMS species. 404266. ''Murex coppingeri'' E. A. Smith, 1884. 25 April 2010
  17. [http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=404977 Houart, R. (2009). Murex djarianensis poppei Houart, 1979. Accessed through the World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=404977 on 2010-08-06]
  18. {{WRMS species. 404363. ''Murex falsitribulus'' Ponder & Vokes, 1988. 25 April 2010
  19. {{WRMS species. 463926. ''Murex forskoehli'' Röding, 1798. 25 April 2010
  20. {{WRMS species. 404504. ''Murex hystricosus'' Houart & Dharma, 2001. 25 April 2010
  21. {{WRMS species. 404526. ''Murex kerslakae'' Ponder & Vokes, 1988. 25 April 2010
  22. {{WRMS species. 404619. ''Murex megapex'' Neubert, 1998. 25 April 2010
  23. {{WRMS species. 404659. ''Murex occa'' Sowerby, 1834. 25 April 2010
  24. {{WRMS species. 215663. ''Murex pecten'' Lightfoot, 1786. 25 April 2010
  25. {{WRMS species. 404697. ''Murex philippinensis'' Parth, 1994. 25 April 2010
  26. {{WRMS species. 404728. ''Murex queenslandicus'' Ponder & Vokes, 1988. 25 April 2010
  27. {{WRMS species. 404800. ''Murex salomonensis'' Parth, 1994. 25 April 2010
  28. {{WRMS species. 215637. ''Murex scolopax'' Dillwyn, 1817. 25 April 2010
  29. {{WRMS species. 404826. ''Murex somalicus'' Parth, 1990. 25 April 2010
  30. {{WRMS species. 404829. ''Murex spectabilis'' Ponder & Vokes, 1988. 25 April 2010
  31. {{WRMS species. 404832. ''Murex spicatus'' Ponder & Vokes, 1988. 25 April 2010
  32. {{WRMS species. 404850. ''Murex surinamensis'' Okutani, 1982. 25 April 2010
  33. {{WRMS species. 404859. ''Murex tenuirostrum'' Lamarck, 1822. 25 April 2010
  34. {{WRMS species. 215662. ''Murex ternispina'' Lamarck, 1822. 25 April 2010
  35. {{WRMS species. 404879. ''Murex trapa'' Roding, 1798. 25 April 2010
  36. {{WRMS species. 215641. ''Murex tribulus'' Linnaeus, 1758. 25 April 2010
  37. {{WRMS species. 404897. ''Murex troscheli'' Lischke, 1868. 25 April 2010
  38. [http://clade.ansp.org/obis/search.php/78425 Indo-Pacific Molluscan Database : Murex (Murex) singaporensis]
  39. {{WRMS species. 404033. ''Murex aedonius'' Watson, 1896. 25 April 2010
  40. {{WRMS species. 404013. ''Murex argo'' Clench & Farfante, 1945. 25 April 2010
  41. {{WRMS species. 404052. ''Murex blakeanus'' Vokes, 1967. 25 April 2010
  42. {{WRMS species. 404328. ''Murex edwardsi''. 25 April 2010
  43. {{WRMS species. 404485. ''Murex gubbi'' Reeve, 1849. 25 April 2010
  44. {{WRMS species. 447212. ''Murex intertextus'' Helbling, 1779. 25 April 2010
  45. {{WRMS species. 447206. ''Murex maroccensis'' Gmelin, 1791. 25 April 2010
  46. {{WRMS species. 404048. ''Murex monodon'' Sowerby, 1841. 25 April 2010
  47. {{WRMS species. 447213. ''Murex nassa'' Gmelin, 1791. 25 April 2010
  48. {{WRMS species. 404692. ''Murex peritus'' Hinds, 1844a. 25 April 2010
  49. {{WRMS species. 215660. ''Murex purpuroides'' Dunker. 25 April 2010
  50. {{WRMS species. 404738. ''Murex recurvirostris''. 25 April 2010
  51. {{WRMS species. 215633. ''Murex rota'' Sowerby. 25 April 2010
  52. {{WRMS species. 404752. ''Murex rubidus''. 25 April 2010
  53. {{WRMS species. 408592. ''Murex textilis'' Gabb, 1873. 25 April 2010
  54. {{WRMS species. 404016. ''Murex triqueter''. 25 April 2010
  55. {{WRMS species. 447198. ''Murex tulipa'' Linnaeus, 1758. 25 April 2010
  56. {{WRMS species. 404941. ''Murex vittatus'' Broderip, 1833. 25 April 2010
Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

murex muricinae extant-cretaceous-first-appearances gastropod-genera animal-taxa-named-by-carl-linnaeus
Want to explore this topic further?

Ask Mako anything about Murex — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.

Research with Mako

Free with your Surf account

Content sourced from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.

Report