MOLLUSCA OF PORTO RICO. 
407 
Murex messorius Sowerby. 
Murex messorius Sowerby, P. Z. S., 1840, p. 137. 
Murex messorius Sowerby, Conch. II Ins., Murex , fig. 93, 1839. 
Shell with a moderate, conical spire, and a long, straight, or slightly recurved canal; varices 
three, with two to three intervarical ribs; the revolving sculpture consists of rather sharp ridges, with 
a single thread between; there is often a short spine near the upper end of the varices, and one or 
two below them on the canal; the lower spines are sometimes recurved; epidermis hispid; color 
purplish or pinkish. 
A single young, broken specimen of what is probably this was obtained at Mayaguez. 
Murex antillarum Hinds. 
Murex antillarum Hinds, P. Z. P., 1843, p. 126. 
Murex nodatus Reeve, Conch. Icon., m, 1845, pi. xxv, fig. 107. 
Shell subfusiform, with about nine whorls, the first one and one-half smooth; the three varices 
are rounded, elevated, scarcely at all frilled, and have on the shoulder a short, nearly straight, sharp 
spine; there are often two other sharp, short spines at the bases of the varices on the canal, and 
sometimes a few short, spiny processes along the middle of the varices; canal moderately long, 
generally recurved, though sometimes straight; the surface is covered with larger and smaller 
alternating revolving ridges, and between the varices there are three or four low, longitudinal ribs, 
which are cut into rather sharp tubercles by the revolving sculpture. Color whitish, with broken, 
revolving, brown lines and markings, which sometimes form faint bands. 
Length 50; diameter, measuring across the short spines, 25; diameter of the shell, 21 mm. 
A single remarkably fine, living specimen was taken at Mayaguez. 
Hinds described the species as M. antillarum in 1843 and referred to a figure in the Conchological 
Illustrations which Mr. Sowerby mentioned as a variety of M. motacilla. Reeve afterwards, in the 
Conchologia in 1845, described the same thing, calling it M. nodatus, and referred to the same figure in 
the Illustrations. Reeve gave a beautiful figure, and was probably not aware that Hinds had described 
this shell under another name. 
Subgenus Chicoreus Montfort, 1810. 
Shell with elevated spire and a canal of moderate length; varices three, generally foliaceous; 
inner lip seldom raised into a lamella. 
? Murex rufus Lamarck. 
A single very young specimen in bad condition was obtained at Puerto Real, Porto Rico, which 
may be this species, which is widespread in the Antilles. 
Murex brevifrons Lamarck. 
Murex brevifrons Lamarck, An. sans Vert., vn, p. 161, 1822. 
Murex calcitrapa Reeve, Conch. Icon., in, pi. in, fig. 13, 1845. 
Shell large, solid, the three varices frondose; sometimes there is a row of secondary, smaller fronds 
in front of the larger ones. There is a single strong intervarical rib, which sometimes becomes almost 
a hump; the spire and canal are somewhat elongated and of about equal length; the latter is frondose 
to its base; the revolving sculpture consists of low, somewhat separated ridges, and besides this the 
shell is everywhere covered with revolving, roughened or slightly nodulous threads. The color is 
whitish or brownish, with revolving darker often blackish narrow bands, which are sometimes very 
distinct. 
Length 100; diameter, 60 mm. 
Off Point Melones; Mayaguez; Arroyo; Boqueron Bay, Porto Rico; Ensenada Honda, Culebra; 
West Indies generally. 
Subgenus Piiyllonotus Swainson. 
Shell generally more inflated than in Chicoreus and having from four to numerous varices; inner 
lip raised into a thin lamella. 
