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| shelled snails text index | photo index |
| Phylum Mollusca > Class Gastropoda > Family Muricidae |
| Firebrand
murex snail Chicoreus torrefactus* Family Muricidae updated Oct 10 Where seen? This large but well camouflaged snail is usually found on boulders, rocks and hard surfaces near coral reefs at the low water mark. Also sometimes seen on sandy areas. Elsewhere, it is found among rocks or on muddy sand bottoms near rocks and under corals. Features: 5-7cm long. Shell thick with rows of fronds or spikes along the length of the shell. There are usually three spikes along the siphonal canal. The shell opening is white often with yellow or orange lips. Operculum is made of a horn-like material. What does it eat? Like other drills in the Family Muricidae, this snail can also drill through shells. According to Tan, they have been seen to feed extensively on the venus clam Gafrarium (Family Veneridae) by drilling a neat hole through the shell. Human uses: It is frequently collected for food and its shell used for shellcraft. In some places, populations have been greatly reduced due to over-collection. |
 Tanah Merah, Aug 09  |
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Firebrand murex on Singapore shores
 Tanah Merah, Dec 10 
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 Tanah Merah, Dec 09 |
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more
photos of firebranch murex snails on Singapore shores
*Species are difficult to positively identify without close examination.
On this website, they are grouped by external features for convenience of display.
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Links
References
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Graham Brash, Singapore. 145 pp.|
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