Hexaplex erythrostomus

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

Hexaplex erythrostomus
apertural view of the shell of Hexaplex erythrostomus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Neogastropoda
Family:	Muricidae
Genus:	Hexaplex
Species:	H. erythrostomus
Binomial name
Hexaplex erythrostomus (Swainson, 1831)
Synonyms[1]
Chicoreus (Phyllonotus) erythrostomus (Swainson, 1831) Chicoreus erythrostomus (Swainson, 1831) Hexaplex (Muricanthus) erythrostomus (Swainson, 1831) Murex bicolor Valenciennes, 1832 (invalid: junior homonym of Murex bicolor Risso, 1826) Murex coccineus Lesson, 1844 Murex erythrostomus Swainson, 1831 Murex hippocastanum Philippi, 1845 Murex regius Schubert & Wagner, 1829 (invalid: junior homonym of Murex regius Swainson, 1821)

Description

The shell of this species is globose and strong, ornamented with blunt spines. The aperture is circular. The siphonal canal is narrow, short and curved with decorations on the outside. The color of the outer part of the shell is white or shades of gray. The interior of the shell and the aperture is deep pink and glossy.^[2]

Distribution

The species occurs on the west coast of Mexico from Baja California to Peru.^[3][4][5]

Habitat

The species inhabits the intertidal and subtidal zones in sandy areas and sometimes on rocks^[2]

Gallery

• 
  a shell of Hexaplex erythrostomus
• 
  a shell of Hexaplex erythrostomus
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  a shell of Hexaplex erythrostomus