Class Gastropoda Order Neogastropoda Suborder Rachiglossa Family Muricidae Key

Key to Family Muricidae--the Murexes

Phylum Mollusca
Class Gastropoda
Order Neogastropoda
Suborder Rachiglossa

Taken primarily from Kozloff, 1987, 1996 (Copyright 1987, 1996, University of Washington Press. Used in this web page by permission of University of Washington Press)

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Lower taxonomic level Main Page Alphabetic Index Systematic Index Glossary

1a Edges of the siphonal canal touching or nearly touching for at least part of the canal, so this is essentially a closed tube 2

1b Edges of the siphonal canal not touching or nearly touching, so the canal is an open trough for its entire length 7

2a With a large tooth on the outer lip of the aperture; with 3 winglike axial excrescences, as well as unevenly spaced spiral ridges; height up to about 8 cm (common intertidal and shallow subtidal species)
Ceratostoma foliatum
(Gmelin, 1791)

2b

3a

3b

4a

4b

5a

5b

6a

6b

7a Height decidedly more then twice the diameter Trophonopsis lasius

7b Height not more then twice the diameter 8

8a Axial ribs stout, not at all like lamellae 9

8b Axial ribs rather thin lamellae, sometimes frilly 12

9a Height much less then twice the diameter; outer lip of aperture, in mature or nearly mature specimens, thickened to the extent that it is more than half the width of the aperture (height up to about 3 cm; locally introduced with the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas) Ceratostoma inornatum

9b Heght about twice the diameter; outer lip of aperture not thickened to the extent that it is half the width of the aperture 10

10a Interior of aperture purplish or brownish; spiral ridges more obvious between the axial ribs than where they intersect the ribs; on oysters and barnacles in areas where the Atlantic oyster, Crassostrea virginica, has been introduced Urosalpinx cinerea

10b Interior of aperture usually light, not purplish or brownish; spiral ridges generally as prominent where they intersect the axial ribs as between the ribs; on rocky shores 11

11a Axial ribs broad, nearly contiguous, rounded, not sharply elevated; height up to about 2.5 cm (common inertidal species) Ocenebra lurida
(Middendorff, 1849)

11b

12a

12b

13a

13b

Taxonomic Levels Represented in This Key:
Ceratostoma foliatum
Ocenebra lurida

Page created by Nathaniel Charbonneau, 7-2002
Edited by: Dave Cowles 8-2002, 2005
Edited by Hans Helmstetler 1-2003

Jump to:
Lower taxonomic level	Main Page	Alphabetic Index	Systematic Index	Glossary

1a	Edges of the siphonal canal touching or nearly touching for at least part of the canal, so this is essentially a closed tube	2
1b	Edges of the siphonal canal not touching or nearly touching, so the canal is an open trough for its entire length	7
2a	With a large tooth on the outer lip of the aperture; with 3 winglike axial excrescences, as well as unevenly spaced spiral ridges; height up to about 8 cm (common intertidal and shallow subtidal species)	Ceratostoma foliatum (Gmelin, 1791)
2b
3a
3b
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a	Height decidedly more then twice the diameter	Trophonopsis lasius
7b	Height not more then twice the diameter	8
8a	Axial ribs stout, not at all like lamellae	9
8b	Axial ribs rather thin lamellae, sometimes frilly	12
9a	Height much less then twice the diameter; outer lip of aperture, in mature or nearly mature specimens, thickened to the extent that it is more than half the width of the aperture (height up to about 3 cm; locally introduced with the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas)	Ceratostoma inornatum
9b	Heght about twice the diameter; outer lip of aperture not thickened to the extent that it is half the width of the aperture	10
10a	Interior of aperture purplish or brownish; spiral ridges more obvious between the axial ribs than where they intersect the ribs; on oysters and barnacles in areas where the Atlantic oyster, Crassostrea virginica, has been introduced	Urosalpinx cinerea
10b	Interior of aperture usually light, not purplish or brownish; spiral ridges generally as prominent where they intersect the axial ribs as between the ribs; on rocky shores	11
11a	Axial ribs broad, nearly contiguous, rounded, not sharply elevated; height up to about 2.5 cm (common inertidal species)	Ocenebra lurida (Middendorff, 1849)
11b
12a
12b
13a
13b