muricids

Muricids, or muricid snails, are a family of predatory marine gastropods, Muricidae, within the Neogastropoda. They are found worldwide in temperate and tropical seas, from shallow rocky shores to deep waters, typically on hard substrates where prey is abundant. Shells are usually thick and can be ornamented with spines, varices, or robust sculpturing; the aperture is elongated and the siphonal canal well developed.

Muricids are carnivores, preying largely on other mollusks, barnacles, and other invertebrates. Many species drill into the shells of their prey using a combination of a specialized radula and secretions that soften the prey’s shell; others feed by rasping or tearing prey. They are important predators in many benthic communities and can influence local prey populations.

Reproduction is generally gonochoric with internal fertilization. Females lay egg capsules that are often attached to substrate, and embryos hatch into free-swimming veligers or, in some taxa, develop directly into juveniles. Larval dispersal varies among species.

The group includes widely known genera such as Murex, Chicoreus, and Muricopsis. Muricids have long been valued by collectors for their often striking shells. They also have historical significance for producing Tyrian purple dye from certain species’ hypobranchial glands; the practice is obsolete, but the dye’s cultural impact is notable. Some muricids are collected for the shell trade, and overharvesting or habitat loss threatens particular species.