Muricinae is a taxonomic subfamily of

predatory Predation is a biological interaction where one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, its prey. It is one of a family of common feeding behaviours that includes parasitism and micropredation (which usually do not kill th ...

sea snails, 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 ...

s within the large

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 and rock snails. The Muricinae represent approximately 780 valid names of fossil (378) and recent (400) species (Merle et al. 2011). This subfamily contains the true ''

Murex ''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".Houart, R.; Gofas, S. (2010). Murex Linnaeus, 175 ...

'', and many other closely related genera.

Systematics

The subdivision of the

into subfamilies is mainly based on the work of Bouchet & Rocroi (2005), who combined morphological and molecular data in order to define the Muricinae. However, based on latest knowledge this subfamily might represent a

polyphyletic A polyphyletic group is an assemblage of organisms or other evolving elements that is of mixed evolutionary origin. The term is often applied to groups that share similar features known as homoplasies, which are explained as a result of conver ...

group. Traditional the Muricinae are subdivided into five informal groups, which contain 47 genera and subgenera (Merle et al. 2011): 1. Muricinae (s.s.) group * ''

Flexopteron ''Flexopteron'' is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Muricinae of the family Muricidae Muricidae is a large and varied taxonomic family of small to large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks, comm ...

'' Shuto, 1969 * ''

'' (s.s)

Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the ...

, 1758 * ''M. ( Promurex)'' Ponder & Vokes, 1988 * ''

Haustellum ''Haustellum'' is a genus of medium-sized sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails. Like many other genera within the Muricidae, the genus has been redefined several times. Ponder & Vokes (19 ...

'' Schumacher, 1817 * '' Vokesimurex'' Petuch, 1994 * ''

Siratus ''Siratus'' is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Muricinae of the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails. Species Species within the genus ''Siratus'' include: * '' Siratus aguayoi'' (Clench & Perez Fa ...

'' Jousseaume, 1880 * ''

Bolinus ''Bolinus'' is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails. This genus is known in the fossil record from the Miocene to the Pliocene period (age range: from 15.97 to 2.588 million ye ...

'' Pusch, 1837 * ''

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.; Gofas ...

'' (s.s.) Perry, 1811 * ''H. ( Trunculariopsis)'' Cossmann, 1921 * ''

Muricanthus ''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 ...

'' Swainson, 1840 * ''

Chicoreus ''Chicoreus'' is a genus of medium- to large-sized predatory sea snails. These are carnivorous marine gastropod molluscs in the family Muricidae, the murexes or rock snails.Bouchet, P.; Houart, R. (2010). Chicoreus Montfort, 1810. In: Bouche ...

'' (s.s.) Montfort, 1810 * ''C. ( Chicopinnatus)'' Houart, 1992 * ''C. ( Rhizophorimurex)'' Oyama, 1950 * ''C. ( Triplex)'' Perry, 1810 * ''

Chicomurex ''Chicomurex'' is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Muricidae Muricidae is a large and varied taxonomic family of small to large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks, commonly known as murex sna ...

'' Arakawa, 1964 * ''

Phyllonotus ''Phyllonotus'' is a genus of medium to large sized predatory sea snails. These are carnivorous marine gastropod molluscs in the family Muricidae, the murexes or rock snails.Bouchet, P.; Houart, R. (2010). Phyllonotus Swainson, 1833 . In: Bouche ...

'' Swainson, 1833 * '' Naquetia'' Jousseaume, 1880 2. Pterynotus-Textilomurex group * ''

Pterynotus ''Pterynotus'' is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Muricinae of the family Muricidae Muricidae is a large and varied taxonomic family of small to large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks, co ...

'' (s.s) Swainson, 1833 * ''P. ( Pterymarchia)'' Houart, 1995 * '' Textiliomurex'' Merle, 2011 3. Basal muricids group * '' Timbellus'' de Gregorio, 1885 * '' Pterochelus'' Jousseaume, 1880 * '' Purpurellus'' Jousseaume, 1880 * ''

Ponderia ''Ponderia'' is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Muricinae of the family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or oth ...

'' Houart, 1986 * '' Prototyphis'' Ponder, 1972 * '' Poirieria'' (s.s) Jousseaume, 1880 * ''P. ( Actinotrophon)'' Dall, 1902 * ''P. ( Caelobassus)'' Stilwell & Zinsmeister, 1992 * ''P. ( Pagodula)'' Monterosato, 1884 * ''

Paziella ''Paziella'' is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Muricinae of the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails. Description The biconic, medium-sized shell has its varices dissected into spines. The apertur ...

'' (s.s) Jousseaume, 1880 * ''P. (

Bouchetia ''Bouchetia'' is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family 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 ...

)'' Houart & Héros, 2008 * '' Crassimurex'' (s.s) Merle, 1990 * ''C. ( Eopaziella)'' Gürs, 2001 * '' Harmatia'' Noszky, 1940 * '' Gamurex'' Merle, 2011 * '' Falsimuricopsis'' Merle, 2011 4. Calotrophon-Attiliosa group * '' Calotrophon'' (s.s) Hertlein & Strong, 1951 * ''C. ( Acantholabia)'' Olsson & Harbison, 1953 * ''C. ( Panamurex)'' Woodring, 1959 The subfamilial place of the last groups should be regarded as provisional.

References

* Bouchet, P. & Rocroi, J.-P. (2005): ''Part 2. Working classification of the Gastropoda''. Malacologia, 47: 239–283, Ann Arbor. . * Merle, D., Garrigues, B. & Pointier, J.-P. (2011): ''Fossil and Recent Muricidae of the World, Part Muricinae''. 648 pp., 182 colour plates, ConchBooks, Hackenheim. .

External links

Muricidae Taxa named by Constantine Samuel Rafinesque {{Muricidae-stub