Page:American Seashells (1954).djvu/252

202 I to 3 inches in length. The long, slender siphonal canal bears 3 rows of long and slender spines. Color drab-white, sometimes a pale yellowish pink between the varices. Each varix has 3 to 4 sharp, long spines. Uncommonly dredged in moderately deep water. Considered a collector's item. Do not confuse with the less rare Murex tryoni Hidalgo of southeast Florida and the West Indies, which is much the same except that it lacks spines all down the siphonal canal and is almost smooth between the varices. Compare also with the next species which is common. Murex recurvirostris rubidus F. C. Baker Rose Murex South half of Florida and the Bahamas. 1 to 2 inches in length. Siphonal canal rather long and slender, and with 3 pairs of short prickly spines near the top. The knobby varices may have a short spine at the top. Between the varices are 3 low knobby ribs, 2 of which are larger than the third. Color variable: cream, pink, orange or red. A spiral band of darker color is found in some specimens. It lives in shallow, sandy areas and is commonly washed ashore. Alias inessorhis Sby., anniae M. Smith, delicatus M. Smith and citrinus M. Smith. True recurvirostris Broderip is found in the Eastern Pacific. M. recur- virostris sallasi Rehder and Abbott from the Yucatan, Mexico, area has 3 equal-sized, finely beaded ribs between each varix, is brightly colored with shell-pink and occasionally has fine spiral lines of brown. Murex beaui Fischer and Bernardi Beau's Murex Plate lod South Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, and the West Indies. 3 to 5 inches in length. The spiny varices usually have prominent, thin, wavy webs. Between the varices there are 5 or 6 rows of low, evenly sized and evenly spaced knobs. Color cream to pale brownish. Uncommon off- shore. Subgenus Hexaplex Perry 1 8 1 1 Section. ?hyllonotus Swainson 1833 Murex pomum Gmelin Apple Murex Plate lol North Carolina to Florida and the West Indies. 2 to 4^/2 inches in length. Sturdy with a rough surface. No long spines. Colored dark-brown to yellowish tan. Aperture glossy, ivory, buff, yellow or orangish with a dark-brown spot on the upper end of the parietal wall.