Ruthae Murex Shell, Vokesimurex ruthae

Ruthae Murex Shell, Vokesimurex ruthae. Shell collected off the beach of Bahía Concepción, Baja California Sur, October 2019. Size: 9.2 cm (3.6 inches) x 3.8 cm (1.5 inches). Collection, photograph and identification courtesy of Bob Hillis.

Ruthae Murex Shell, Vokesimurex ruthae. Shell collected off the beach at Punta Chivato, Baja California Sur, March 2022. Size: 7.3 cm (2.9 inches) x 3.6 cm (1.4 inches). Collection, photographs and identification courtesy of Colin Campbell, DVM, Punta Chivato, Baja California Sur.

The Ruthae Murex, Vokesimurex ruthae (Vokes, 1988), is a gastropod mollusk that is a member of the Muricidae Family of Rocks. They are also known as the Santa Elena Murex Shell. Note: the Ruthae Murex Shell has historically been considered to be the Elena Murex Shell, Vokeimurex elensis until 1988 when Vokes separated the two species – elensis being a resident of Costa Rica south to Peru and ruthae found within Scammon’s Lagoon and the Sea of Cortez.

The Ruthae Murex has a globose shell consists of six whorls, a moderately high spire, a canal that is very long and closed for most of its length, and an oval aperture. They have varices that are sculpted with short spines that continue along the canal. The external surface of the shell is cream to yellowish-white; the interior is brownish to lavender. The Ruthae Murex can be easily confused with the Long-spine Murex Shell, Vokesimurex recurvirostris (fewer spines along the siphon canal and outer lip). The Ruthae Murex Shell reach a maximum of 10.5 cm (4.1 inches) in length and 5.2 cm (2.0 inches) in height.

The Ruthae Murex reside on and within sand substrate and are found at depths between 3 m (10 feet) and 15 m (50 feet). They are found within Scammon’s Lagoon, Baja California and throughout the Sea of Cortez in the coastal waters of Baja California and Baja California Sur.

Synonyms include Haustellum elenensis, Murex elenensis, Murex plicatusare, and Vokesimurex elensis.