If you’ve ever visited a coastal town, you’ve likely encountered beautiful shells for sale in seaside shops filled with ocean curiosities, including the ornate shell of a murex. These shells are commonly found in shallow waters, on rocks, and among corals.
It is a carnivorous sea snail known for its intricately sculpted shell, often adorned with spines or fronds that help protect its soft body from predators. Murex snails vary in size from medium to large. While the exterior of their shells may appear relatively plain in color, the interior is usually brightly colored and highly polished, making them prized by shell collectors. Historically, the mucus of some murex species was used to create blue dyes for coloring the robes of high-ranking individuals and royalty, although this practice has largely become obsolete.
Be aware that these sea snails…
Despite being commonly seen in shops throughout coastal towns worldwide, true murex species are primarily found in the Indo-Pacific region. Be cautious if you spot one, as some murex snails are venomous. In the Gulf of California, you can find variations such as the Hexaplex brassica and Muricanthus nigritus species. In contrast, the Chicoreus chicoreum, or endive murex, can be found in the Pacific. Meanwhile, you’ll see Hexaplex trunculus in the Mediterranean Sea, found along Europe and Africa’s Atlantic coasts.
