Family: |
Muricidae (purpuras, murex and rock shells) |
Max. size: |
8.284 cm SHL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 58.2 g |
Environment: |
benthic; marine; depth range 1 - 100 m |
Distribution: |
Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean: from France to Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Madeira Island and Canary Islands, including the Mediterranean. |
Diagnosis: |
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Biology: |
Intertidal to a depth of 80 m. Found in a lagoon (Ref. 105976). Also found offshore (Ref. 122927). Inhabits rocky, sandy-mud and mud substrata (Ref. 105992). Also found on seagrass (Ref. 85545). Opportunistic feeder, exhibiting both carnivory and scavenging. Feeds on a variety of bivalves, including gastropods, barnacles, tunicates, bryozoans, carrion and its conspecifics. Employs drilling and chipping patterns on certain bivalves (Ref. 106099). |
IUCN Red List Status: |
Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. 123251)
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Threat to humans: |
harmless |
Country info: |
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