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Muricidae

The Muricidae, commonly known as murex snails or rock snails, are a family of marine gastropods belonging to the order Neogastropoda. These mollusks are famous for their ornamental, robust, and often spiny shells, as well as for their highly specialized predatory behavior. The family includes over 1,600 species distributed in marine environments worldwide, from tropical to temperate waters.
The Muricidae family is divided into several genera, including:
Hexaplex – Featuring robust and richly ornate species, such as Hexaplex cichoreum.
Chicoreus – Includes murex snails with elaborate spines, often of large size.
Murex – The type genus of the family, with some of the most decorative and spectacular shells.
Pteropurpura – Murex snails with elongated and thin extensions along the ribs.
Stramonita – Less spiny species, but widely distributed in tropical and temperate environments.
Some species, such as Bolinus brandaris and Hexaplex trunculus, were used by the ancient Phoenicians, Romans, and Greeks to produce Tyrian purple, one of the most precious dyes of antiquity. This violet pigment, extracted from the murex glands, was used to dye the robes of emperors and the aristocracy.
Muricidae represent one of the most fascinating families of marine gastropods, combining aesthetic beauty, sophisticated predatory strategies, and a long history of human interaction. Thanks to their morphological variety and ecological importance, murex snails continue to be studied by malacologists and admired by collectors and shell enthusiasts.