Venus comb murex

Murex pecten. Links protrudes out of the blackish from Sipho Siphonalkanal.

The Venus Venus comb or comb snail ( Murex pecten ) is a snail from the family of whelks ( genus Murex ), which is spread over the central Indo-Pacific. She has the spines most developed within the family.

Features

The kremweiße pecten to light brown, studded with numerous long spines shell of Murex has a bulbous body handling, a protruding conical thread and a very long straight Siphonalkanal, which is significantly longer than the mouth and threaded. It is thin but solid. Per handling, there are according to the growth spurts of the screw three axially extending varices on which rows of numerous long, pointed, slightly curved spines sit that form on the Siphonalkanal three double rows and the same are getting shorter towards the front end. The front quarter of the Siphonalkanals has no spines. On the body, handling and thread sit the strongest, primary spines that are curved backwards towards the apex. Up ahead are thinner, secondary spines at right angles to the thicker. In addition, there are small, tertiary spines. The case mouth is ovate, the outer lip is slightly serrated and has a tooth-like projection. In adult worm housing reaches a length of up to 10 cm, sometimes up to 15 cm. The operculum is horny with the nucleus at the center margin.

Dissemination

The Venus Comb occurs in the Indian Ocean on the south eastern coast of Africa to Madagascar, Indochina and the Malay Archipelago, the Pacific Ocean to the west Melanesia, north to Japan and south to Queensland and New Caledonia.

Habitat

The Venus Comb lives in the intertidal zone and below on sand or mud bottom on the coast and coral reefs down to a depth of 340 m.

Functions of the sting dress

The numerous spines on the body of Venus comb form an efficient protection against predators. At the same time they prevent a decrease of the screw in the soft mud. Since the spines form a cage in the front area below the Siphonalkanals and around the mouth of housing within which the worm can eat relatively undisturbed, it is discussed that this serves as a container for prey.

Food

It is believed that like other whelks form pecten shells and snails the main part of the diet of Murex. So far, the feeding behavior of the Venus comb however, is poorly understood.

Relevance to humans

Murex pecten is collected because of its housing and sold as jewelry. The meat is eaten.

The spines of the housing can injure a person dangerous when this occurs the worm by mistake.