PART II. CLASS GASTROPODA (Continued) 
Family MURICIDAE 
Genus MUREX Linnaeus, 1758 
Testa univalvis, spiralis, exasperata suturis membranaceis. Apertura 
desinens in canalem integrum rectum s. subadscendentem. (Linnaeus.) 
Shell ovate or oblong; spire prominent; whorls convex, crossed by 
three or more continuous varices; aperture ending below in a canal, which 
is generally partly closed. (Tryon, Structural and Systematic Conchology.) 
Type. Mur ex tenuis pina Lamarck. 
Distribution. World-wide, mostly tropical and subtropical; low 
water to fifty fathoms or more. 
Subgenus Alipurpura Bayle, 1884 
Murex rhyssa Dali, 1919 
Plate 30, fig. 1 
Proceedings of the United States National Museum, 56:332. 
Shell elongate, trialate, white, with a rasp-like surface, a dark brown 
nucleus of two whorls, and five subsequent whorls, with a narrow shoul¬ 
der in front of an obscure appressed suture; axial sculpture beside the 
three varices and the minute imbricate surface includes a nodulous rib 
between each pair of varices; the latter are slightly recurved with a promi¬ 
nent spinosity at the shoulder, about six major, the same number of minor, 
and numerous smaller imbricate intercalary riblets in the last varix, which 
extends to the end of the long closed canal; aperture ovate, white, simple, 
entire; operculum normal, brown. Height of shell, 62; of last whorl, 47; 
of aperture, 12; maximum diameter, including the varix, 27 mm. (Dali.) 
Type in United States National Museum, No. 160500. Type locality, 
San Pedro, California. 
Range. Santa Barbara Islands, California, to Ballenas Lagoon, Lower 
California. 
Murex erinaceoides Valenciennes, 1832 
Humboldt and Bonpland, Observations zoologiqucs, 2 : 302. 
Testa ovata-fusiformi, transversim, sulcata, varicosa; rufa anfractibus 
subrotundis impressis, ultimo longiori. (Valenciennes.) 
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