''Muricanthus'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

of sea snails,

marine Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean. Marine or marines may refer to: Ocean * Maritime (disambiguation) * Marine art * Marine biology * Marine debris * Marine habitats * Marine life * Marine pollution Military * ...

gastropod

mollusk Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is es ...

s in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Muricidae 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 about 1,600 living species, the Muricidae represent almost 10% of the Ne ...

, the murex snails or rock snails. The name ''Muricanthus'' was previously considered a synonym of ''Hexaplex (Muricanthus)'' Swainson, 1840 represented as ''

Hexaplex ''Hexaplex'' is a genus of medium-sized to large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the subfamily muracinae of the family Muricidae, the murex shells or rock snails.Houart, R.; Gofas, S. (2010). Hexaplex Perry, 1810. In: Bouchet, P.; Go ...

'' Perry, 1810

Species

Species within the genus ''Muricanthus'' : * ''

Muricanthus ambiguus ''Muricanthus ambiguus'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000&nb ...

'' (Reeve, 1845) * ''

Muricanthus callidinus ''Muricanthus callidinus'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Muricanthus callidinus Berry, 1958. Accessed through: World Regis ...

'' Berry, 1958 * ''

Muricanthus nigritus ''Muricanthus nigritus'', the Northern Radix or Black-and-White Murex or Black Murex, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members o ...

'' (Philippi, 1845) * ''

Muricanthus radix ''Muricanthus radix'', the radix murex or root murex, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called ...

'' (Gmelin, 1791) * ''

Muricanthus strausi ''Muricanthus'' is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails. The name ''Muricanthus'' was previously considered a synonym of ''Hexaplex (Muricanthus)'' Swainson, 1840 represented ...

'' (A. H. Verrill, 1950) ;Species brought into synonymy: * ''Muricanthus kusterianus'' (Tapparone-Canefri, 1875): synonym of ''

Hexaplex kuesterianus ''Hexaplex kuesterianus'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda (). This class ...

'' (Tapparone-Canefri, 1875) * ''Muricanthus princeps'' (Broderip, 1833): synonym of ''

Hexaplex princeps ''Hexaplex princeps'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda (). This class com ...

'' (Broderip, 1833) * ''Muricanthus trippae'' Petuch, 1991: synonym of ''

Hexaplex fulvescens ''Hexaplex fulvescens'', the giant eastern murex or giant Atlantic murex or tawny murex, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrate ...

'' (G.B. Sowerby II, 1834) * ''Muricanthus varius'' (G.B. Sowerby I, 1834): synonym of ''

Chicoreus varius ''Chicoreus varius'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda (). This class comp ...

'' (G.B. Sowerby II, 1834) * ''Muricanthus virgineus'' (Röding, 1798): synonym of ''

Chicoreus virgineus ''Chicoreus virgineus'', common name the virgin murex, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca cal ...

'' (Röding, 1798)

References

* Verrill, A.H. (1950). A new Murex from the West Indies. Minutes of the Conchological Club of Southern California. 103: 4-5.

External links

Swainson, W. (1840). A treatise on malacology or shells and shell-fish. London, Longman. viii + 419 pp

Swainson, W. (1840). A treatise on malacology or shells and shell-fish. London, Longman. viii + 419 pp.

Fischer, P. (1880-1887). Manuel de conchyliologie et de paléontologie conchyliologique, ou histoire naturelle des mollusques vivants et fossiles suivi d'un Appendice sur les Brachiopodes par D. P. Oehlert. Avec 23 planches contenant 600 figures dessinées par S. P. Woodward.. Paris: F. Savy. Published in 11 parts
Muricinae {{Muricinae-stub