(R.A. Philippi 1845) - Common name Black and white murex - Size range 75mm-200mm - Range: Sea of Cortez, West Mexico
Collected live by local panga boat hooka divers somewhere between Puerto Penasco and Desemboque, Mexico. 7-10 meters depth. Tides range 7 meters / 24 feet in Puerto Penasco, so the divers usually go out during low tides to collect murex and other species for meat.
The snail was removed by the local Mexican panga boat fishermen for the meat, they collect these and throw them into the panga boats. 90% of the time causing some minor spine and siphon damage. This shell is no exception. But this is a huge murex, very little damage. Operculum is included. It's not quite gem, but great for any collector of large muricidae.
Hexaplex (Muricanthus) Nigritus - HN0225201908
NUMBER:
HN0225201908
CLASS:
GASTROPODA CAENOGASTROPODA
ORDER:
NEOGASTROPODA
SUPER FAMILY:
MURICOIDEA
FAMILY:
MURICIDAE MURICINAE
SIZE:
167mm / 6 1/2"
WEIGHT:
429g / 15.2 oz - 0.95 lbs.
CONDITION:
F+ - F++ / Some minor spine damage and some small chips at siphon.
FRESH FIND
MONTH OF 02-2019
LOCATION:
PUERTO PENASCO TO DESEMBOQUE, MEXICO GOOGLE EARTH COORDINATES: 31 17' 48" N / 113 33' 04" W ---- to ---- 30 34' 04 N / 113 00' 38" W