Table of Contents Coral Reef Cart Collection

GENERAL INFORMATION

Classification

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  Phylum Mollusca, Class Gastropoda
  

Distribution:

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  The Muricidae family is found worldwide. Most are tropical, but some inhabit colder water, such as the species known to decimate oyster beds. The U.S. Atlantic coast and Gulf of Mexico have numerous species.
  

Habitat

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  Most murex species live in the intertidal or shallow subtidal zone, among rocks and corals and on sandy mudflats.
  

Appearance and Behavior

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  Murex snails are noted for their spectacular, sometimes bizarre ornamentation, which most likely protects the animals from predation.
  
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  Much of what is known about the working of the gastropod radula has been learned from studies of this family of snails.
  
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  Typically a murex mounts its prey and works its way through its victim’s shell by alternately using its radula to mechanically scrape away the shell and then using secretions from an accessory boring organ to chemically soften the shell, making it more susceptible to mechanical wear from the radula.
  

Diet

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  Murex species are typically active carnivores, feeding on other snails, barnacles, oysters, mussels, chitons, and other invertebrates.
  
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  The cart species, the pink-mouthed murex, preys upon large clams in the extreme low-tide level.
  

Reproduction and Development

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  Sexes are separate and fertilization is internal. Most murex snails spend their larval stages within an egg capsule, ultimately emerging as tiny snails.
  

Conservation Status

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  Most species are plentiful, but a few that are especially desirable to collectors are increasingly scarce.
  

Remarks

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  Murex snails were used as a source of dye by the Phoenicians. The murex snails secrete a yellowish fluid which, when boiled and treated, makes a permanent purple dye. Wool and silk dyed with this Royal Tyrian purple brought very high prices. Many new towns were settled in the western Mediterranean by Phoenicians seeking fresh beds of the shells.
  
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  Greeks and Romans also made use of the dye. During Roman times only Senators and Emperors were allowed to wear purple cloth.
  
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  After the fall of the Roman Empire the dye was used by the Christian Church and gave rise to the official color of the Cardinals.
  
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  The dye is also used in the Jewish religion.
  

To Notice

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  Notice the spines covering the shell that discourage predators.
  
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  Note the small worms on the shell-- may have settled on the shell when alive or dead.
  

Triton’s Trumpet

Specimen

general information

Classification

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  Phylum Mollusca, Class Gastropoda
  
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  Its name refers to Triton, the ancient Mediterranean God of the Sea.
  

Distribution

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  Throughout the Indo-Pacific, in the Red Sea, along the tropical coast of Africa (Mozambique), and in southern Japan.
  

Habitat

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  In tropical waters to the depth of 3 – 40 m.
  

Appearance and Behavior

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  This is one of the largest and best known tropical gastropods. Like other snails, the Triton’s trumpet has a well-developed head with eyes and tentacles, a mouth on a protractible proboscis (mouth tube), a broad muscular foot for crawling, and a soft body mass containing the internal organs, which is protected by the shell. It may exceed 50 cm in length (almost 20 inches).
  

Diet

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  This species feeds on many different echinoderms, but most notably the crown of thorns sea star, which is a significant coral predator. After locating its prey, the trumpet snail immobilizes the sea star with an injection of paralytic salivary juices, then bores through the sea star’s mesh-like skeleton with sturdy radular teeth to reach the soft tissue inside.
  

Reproduction and Development

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  Sexes are separate in the trumpet snails and fertilization is internal. The female lays a cluster of white, club-shaped capsules containing the developing snail embryos. The young hatch from the capsules as swimming larvae and enter the plankton to drift in the open water.
  

Conservation Status

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  Because it is predatory on the crown of thorns, this species is protected by law in some countries, including Australia, Fiji, and the Seychelles.
  

Remarks

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  Traditional use includes chipping a small hole near the end of the spire and blowing into it as one would a trumpet.
  

To Notice

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  Using a drawing/photo of a Triton’s trumpet, point out where the eyes, mouth and foot would be located.
  
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  Show a photo of Triton’s trumpet consuming a crown of thorns sea star.
  
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  Compare to other gastropods on the cart such as the murex, cowrie, and cone snail..