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Murex Shells — Part 1

Habitat.--East Indies.

The Rose-branch Murex (M. palma-rosae, Lam.) is the most beautiful of this East Indian group. The solid shell is oblong fusiform, with elevated spire strongly grooved and ridged; the varices bearing stout, flattened fronds which spread into bunches of two-parted tips, beautifully branched and rosy-pink above the banded brown of the shell's surface. The columellar lip is closely toothed, a trait by which it may be distinguished from species which resemble it in other particulars.

This Murex will be the delight of collectors always for its graceful shape and flower-like, rosy fronds. Length, 4 or 5 inches.

Habitat.--Indian Ocean.

The Apple Murex (M. pomum, Gmel.) is an abundant and well known West Indian species. Its surface is rough all over. The three varices are low and tuberculated, with secondary rows of smaller tubercles between them, and crossed by spiral laminae. The large, round mouth has a bright yellow lining. The outer surface is yellowish brown. The toothed and frilled outer lip bears three brown spots. The columella is wide, with erect edge, brown and faintly wrinkled. The canal is short, recurved and flattened. Length, 4 to 5 inches.

Habitat.--West Indies.

The Single-tooth Murex (M. monodon, Sby.) has three strikingly long curving spines on each of the varices. One from the upper end of the canal describes a semicircle, curving over the back of the shell. A single strong tooth rises from the lower border of the outer lip. The columella and outer lip are rosy tinted. The exterior is usually brown, with black fronds. There is a white variety. No more elegantly decorated shell exists than this one, with its long, frond-like branching spines, arching in graceful curves from the deeply grooved body of the shell. Length, 4 1/2 inches.

Habitat.--Australia.

The Branched Murex (M. ramosus, Linn.) is the largest species in the genus, attaining a foot in length, and corresponding weight and solidity. This is a favourite ornament for cabinets and mantelpieces all over the world. The three varices bear rows of recurving spiny fronds, conspicuous for their size and elaborate ornamentation. The outside is white, coloured with brown and circled with fine brown lines. The aperture is rimmed with rose pink. Young specimens are more nearly covered with fronds than old ones. Length, 6 to 12 inches.

Habitat.--Indian Ocean, Red Sea, Central Pacific Islands, Australia, China.

Sub-genus RHINOCANTHA, H. and A. Ads.

Differs from typical Murices in having four or more varices.

The Horned Murex (M. cornutus, Linn.) is club-shaped with seven varices, each armed with two or three long, hollow, backward-turning horns. The spire is depressed, the walls thin, the body whorl swollen. The surface is finely ridged. The very long canal bears a spiral row of short spines. The colour is ashy brown, or paler. Length, 6 inches.

Habitat.--West Coast of Africa.

The Straight-spine Murex (M. brandaris, Linn.) somewhat closely resembles M. cornuta, but is smaller throughout. Each of its six varices bears two, short diverging spines. This common Mediterranean Murex is eaten by poor people along the coast, though it is no delicacy. The Tyrian purple was extracted in ancient times by bruising mollusks of this species in pot holes in the rocks along the sea coast.

Sub-genus HOMALOCANTHA, Morch.

Whorls rounded; sutures deep; varices leaf-like and produced into fingers, dilated at the tips or spiny; canal short, curved, wide, almost closed. Four Oriental species.

The Scorpion Murex (M. scorpio, Linn.) is remarkable for the finger-like, channelled fronds, flattened into broad tops, that ornament the last of its five varices. The others bear stumpy, straight spines. A deep and wide spiral suture separates the whorls, almost cutting off connection between the body whorl and the spire. The canal is wide and open. Colour, white to chocolate; varices dark-coloured. Length, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches.

Habitat.--Moluccas, Philippines.

The Windowed Murex (M. fenestratus, Chemn.) is decorated with a regular lattice-work of ridges which intersect at right angles, leaving square dark window-like pits. There are five or six varices, bearing branched orange-yellow spines so delicate as to be broken from most specimens we see. This is one of the elegant fusiform rock shells. Length, 1 1/2 to 2 inches.

Habitat.--Philippines, Red Sea.

Sub-genus PHYLLONOTUS, Swains.

This group differs from Chicoreus in having numerous varices. The more varices, the more chance for elaborate ornamentation of the shell. In this sub-genus the Murex tendency to spiny outgrowths reaches its highest possibilities. The names indicate how these shells bristle with close-set fronds and prickles and laminations.

The Root Murex (M. radix, Gmel.) is almost globular with short black, triangular spines set close on its ten to fifteen frondose varices. The white ground colour is almost concealed by this black stubble, which leaves only the top of the spire exposed. It looks like some rough tuberous root. Length, 3 to 5 inches.