Centrifugal Murex Shell, Pteropurpura centrifuga

Centrifugal Murex Shell, Pteropurpura centrifuga. Size: 6.0 cm (2.4 inches) x 4.6 cm (1.8 inches). Shell provided by the commercial fishermen of the greater Los Cabos area, Baja California Sur, August 2013.

Phylogeny: The Centrifugal Murex, Pteropurpura centrifuga (Hinds, 1844), is a gastropod mollusk that is a member of the Muricidae Family of Rock Shells. The genus Pteropurpura is one of one hundred ninety-eight genera in this family, and there are sixteen species in this genus.

Description: Centrifugal Murex shells have a diamond-shaped outline with five whorls, and a moderately high pointed spire. The shoulders of the whorls have varices that flatten into wings. These shells have a long, closed, siphon canal and an oval aperture.  The exterior of the shell is cream to yellowish-white; the interior is smooth white. The Centrifugal Murex reaches a maximum of 9.4 cm (3.7 inches) in length and 7.2 cm (2.8 inches) in height.

Habitat and Distribution: Centrifugal Murexes reside attached to rocks in moderately deep water, from 30 m (100 feet) to 180 m (600 feet). They are a subtropical to tropical Eastern Pacific species. In Mexican waters they range from Magdalena Bay, Baja California Sur to Guatemala, including the entire Gulf of California.

Ecology and Behavior: Centrifugal Murexes are are a poorly studied and understood species. There is very limited documentation of their diet, predation, reproduction or ecosystem interactions. They are predators that are thought to feed primarily on either bivalves or polychaetes.  They are gonochoric and reproduce sexually. The eggs are laid in protective capsules. There is no mention in the available literature of them engaging in any types of parasitic, commensal, or symbiotic relationships. From a conservation perspective they have not been formally evaluated however they are fairly common with a relatively wide distribution and should be consider to be of Least Concern.

Synonyms: Centrifuga centrifuga, Centrifuga swansoni, Murex (Pteronotus) speciosus, Murex centrifuga, Murex speciosus, Pteropurpura (Pteropurpura) centrifuga, Pterynotus (Pteropurpura) swansoni,  and Pterynotus swansoni.