''Maxwellia santarosana'',

common name In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often contrast ...

the "

Santa Rosa Santa Rosa is the Italian, Portuguese and Spanish name for Saint Rose. Santa Rosa may also refer to: Places Argentina *Santa Rosa, Mendoza, a city * Santa Rosa, Tinogasta, Catamarca * Santa Rosa, Valle Viejo, Catamarca *Santa Rosa, La Pampa * Sa ...

murex" is a species of small predatory

sea snail Sea snail is a common name for slow-moving marine gastropod molluscs, usually with visible external shells, such as whelk or abalone. They share the taxonomic class Gastropoda with slugs, which are distinguished from snails primarily by the ...

, a

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 The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda (). This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, from freshwater, and from land. T ...

mollusk in the family Muricidae, the rock snails.

Description

The size of the

fusiform Fusiform means having a spindle-like shape that is wide in the middle and tapers at both ends. It is similar to the lemon-shape, but often implies a focal broadening of a structure that continues from one or both ends, such as an aneurysm on a b ...

, varicose shell varies between 25 mm and 42 mm. The spire is higher than the other species in this genus and consists of six

whorls A whorl ( or ) is an individual circle, oval, volution or equivalent in a whorled pattern, which consists of a spiral or multiple concentric objects (including circles, ovals and arcs). Whorls in nature File:Photograph and axial plane floral d ...

. The hollow sutures are visible when not hidden by the subsequent whorl. The

body whorl The body whorl is part of the morphology of the shell in those gastropod mollusks that possess a coiled shell. The term is also sometimes used in a similar way to describe the shell of a cephalopod mollusk. In gastropods In gastropods, the b ...

is rather broad and spindle-shaped. The ovate aperture has a barely perceptible anal canal. The outer lip is finely crenulate but its inner surface is smooth. The columellar lip is smooth and callused. The

siphonal canal The siphonal canal is an anatomical feature of the shells of certain groups of sea snails within the clade Neogastropoda. Some sea marine gastropods have a soft tubular anterior extension of the mantle called a siphon through which water is ...

is of moderate length and, as typical for this genus, fused on top, almost sealed below and pointing to the left at its base. the

shows six prominent

varices A varix (pl. varices) is an abnormally dilated vessel with a tortuous course. Varices usually occur in the venous system, but may also occur in arterial or lymphatic vessels. Examples of varices include: * Varicose veins, large tortuous veins usua ...

, extending from the shoulder of the preceding whorl to the end of the siphonal canal. The shell sculpture shows major and minor cords. The shell is white with the edge of each varix ochre-brown.George E. Radwin,Anthony D'Attilio, ''Murex shells of the world: an illustrated guide to the Muricidae'', p. 154
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Distribution

This species is found in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, from California to Baja California.

References

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q3140669 Muricopsinae Gastropods described in 1905 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Taxobox binomials not recognized by IUCN