''Chicoreus loebbeckei'' is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of sea snail, a marine 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 e ...

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 Neoga ...

, the murex snails or rock snails. MolluscaBase eds. (2022). MolluscaBase. Chicoreus loebbeckei (Kobelt, 1879). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=866013 on 2022-02-27 The holotype for this species is preserved in the Aquazoo Löbbecke Museum in Düsseldorf, Germany.

Description

Peter Dance (1969) said that the shell of ''Chicoreus loebbeckei'' was "the loveliest, most exquisite natural object he has ever seen." The shell is fairly uniform in color and is typically a pastel to bright orange, although white, pastel pink and yellow forms exist. There are 7 to 9 body whorls after the nuclear whorls, each whorl bearing three prominently protruding varices that are often referred to as wings, and six knobs evenly spaced so that there are two knobs between each varix. The shell has a scaley microsculpture and prominent spiral cords which give the shell a lacey appearance, and the prominent "wings" are wavy and smoother than the whorls. The siphonal canal also has a prominent "wing" similar to the varices after which the siphonal canal has a sharp recurved bend. The aperture is subovate and the operculum is reddish brown. Adult size is from 35 mm to 80 mm in length. Larger shells have more prominent "wings" and have been loosely compared to tropical flowers.''Murex Shells of the World, An Illustrated Guide to the Muricidae'' (1976), by George E. Radwin and Anthond D'Attilio, p. 99, Stanford University Press, ''Philippine Marine Mollusks, Vol. II'' (2008), by Guido T. Poppe, p.182, Conchbooks, Hackenheim, Germany,

Distribution

This species occurs in the Indo-Pacific region, however it is most often found

subtidal The neritic zone (or sublittoral zone) is the relatively shallow part of the ocean above the drop-off of the continental shelf, approximately in depth. From the point of view of marine biology it forms a relatively stable and well-illuminated ...

ly throughout the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

, in depths to 100 to 250 m.

References

Muricidae Gastropods described in 1879 {{Muricidae-stub