Purpurellus pinniger

Purpurellus pinniger[1] is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.

Purpurellus pinniger
Gastropod shell of Purpurellus pinniger with operculum, 45.6 mm in length, found at low tide in gravely sand and rocky rubble near boulders, Gobernadora Island, Panama.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
(unranked):	clade Caenogastropoda clade Hypsogastropoda clade Neogastropoda
Superfamily:	Muricoidea
Family:	Muricidae
Subfamily:	Muricinae
Genus:	Purpurellus
Species:	P. pinniger
Binomial name
Purpurellus pinniger (Broderip, 1833)
Synonyms[1]
Centrifuga inezana Durham, 1950 Murex cristatus Wood, 1828 Murex osseus Reeve, 1845 Murex pinniger Broderip, 1833

Description

The shell is bright white and glossy with irregular bands of brown. There are three strong varices bearing an irregular fluted or wavy edge, and a sharply incurved spine on the varix of later whorls. The early whorls can appear translucent and show a brownish blue color beneath. The varix on the outer lip ends well above the siphonal canal, which is curved, and ends in a wavy flattened edge similar to the varices in shape. The aperture is subovate and the operculum is dark brown. Length 50 mm, width 25 mm.[2]

Distribution

This species is found subtidally along the coast of Central America from San Marcos Island and Guaymas to Ecuador in water as deep as 82 m.[3]

References

1. Purpurellus pinniger (Broderip, 1833). Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 24 April 2010.
2. Sea Shells of Tropical West America, Second Edition, by A. Myra Keen, Stanford University Press, p. 526
3. Sea Shells of Tropical West America, Second Edition, by A. Myra Keen, Stanford University Press, p. 526

• Merle D., Garrigues B. & Pointier J.-P. (2011) Fossil and Recent Muricidae of the world. Part Muricinae. Hackenheim: Conchbooks. 648 pp., at p. 142.