Biology:Chicoreus ramosus
| Chicoreus ramosus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Different views of a shell of Chicoreus ramosus | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
| Order: | Neogastropoda |
| Family: | Muricidae |
| Genus: | Chicoreus |
| Species: | C. ramosus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Chicoreus ramosus | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
Chicoreus ramosus, common name the ramose murex or branched murex, is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails. It is considered an economically important species in the Indo-West Pacific, especially in India.[2]
Distribution
This sea snail is found widely spread in the Indo-West Pacific, and occurs from east to South Africa, including Mozambique, Tanzania, Madagascar , the Red Sea, the Gulf of Oman, Aldabra, Chagos and Mauritius. It also occurs in eastern Polynesia, southern Japan, New Caledonia and Queensland in Australia.[1][2]
Shell description
C. ramosus has a large, solid, very rugged and heavy shell, of up to 330 mm in length. It has a relatively globose outline, possessing a short spire, a slightly inflated body whorl, and a moderately long siphonal canal. One of its most striking ornamentations are the conspicuous, leaf-like, recurved hollow digitations. It also presents three spinose axial varices per whorl, with two elongated nodes between them. The shell is coloured white to light brown externally, with a white aperture, generally pink towards the inner edge, the outer lip and the columella.[1][2]
Ecology
Habitat
The Ramose murex inhabits sandy and rubble bottoms near coral reefs, to depths of around 10 m.[2]
Feeding habits
As is the case in other Muricidae, C. ramosus is a carnivorous predatory species, usually feeding on bivalves and other gastropods.[2]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Chicoreus ramosus (Linnaeus, 1758). Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 6 April 2010.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Poutiers, J. M. (1998). "Gastropods". in Carpenter, K. E.. The living marine resources of the Western Central Pacific Volume 1. Seaweeds, corals, bivalves and gastropods. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes. 1. Rome: FAO. pp. 562. ISBN 92-5-104052-4. ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/009/w7191e/w7191e50.pdf.[yes|permanent dead link|dead link}}]
- Kilburn, R.N. & Rippey, E. (1982) Sea Shells of Southern Africa. Macmillan South Africa, Johannesburg, xi + 249 pp.
- Steyn, D.G & Lussi, M. (2005). Offshore Shells of Southern Africa: A pictorial guide to more than 750 Gastropods. Published by the authors. pp. i–vi, 1–289
- Houart R., Kilburn R.N. & Marais A.P. (2010) Muricidae. pp. 176–270, in: Marais A.P. & Seccombe A.D. (eds), Identification guide to the seashells of South Africa. Volume 1. Groenkloof: Centre for Molluscan Studies. 376 pp.
External links
- Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Editio decima, reformata [10th revised edition, vol. 1: 824 pp. Laurentius Salvius: Holmiae. , available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886
page(s): 747]
Wikidata ☰ Q635819 entry
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