Bent Beak Murex Shell, Vokesimurex recurvirostris

Bent Beak Murex Shell, Vokesimurex recurvirostris. Size: 4.6 cm (1.8 inches) x 2.8 cm (1.1 inches). Shell provided by the commercial fishermen of the greater Los Cabos area, Baja California Sur, March 2016.

Phylogeny: The Bent Beak Murex, Vokesimurex recurvirostris (Broderip, 1833), is a gastropod mollusk that is a member of the Muricidae Family of Rock Shells. The genus Vokesimurex is one of one hundred ninety-eight genera in this family, and there are thirty-nine species in this genus. They are also known as the Curved-beak Murex Shell and in Mexico as  Busano Alacrán.

Description: Bent Beak Murex Shells have a globose body with a moderate spire and very long canal. The exterior of the shell varies in color from cream to tan with many being marked with fine reddish brown lines that encircle the body. Some specimens also have encircling brown bands, mostly visible on the interior. The Bent Beak Murex Shell can be easily confused with the Elena Murex Shell, Vokesimurex elenensis (more numerous spines along the siphon canal and outer lip). The Bent Beak Murex Shells reach a maximum of 8.8 cm (3.5 inches) in length and 5.4 cm (2.1 inches) in height.

Habitat and Distribution: Bent Beak Murexes reside on and within mud and sand substrates and are found in the intertidal zone and to depths up to 76 m (250 feet). They are a subtropical to tropical Eastern Pacific species that are found in all Mexican waters of the Pacific Ocean with the exception that they are absent from north of Cedros Island, Baja California, along the central and northwest coasts of the Baja Peninsula and north of Guaymas, Sonora, in the Sea of Cortez.

Ecology and Behavior: Bent Beak Murexes are a poorly studied and understood species. There is very limited documentation of their diet, predation, reproduction or ecosystem interactions. Other species in this genus are predators that feed primarily on shelled mollusks. They are gonochoric and reproduce sexually, with internal fertilization. Their engagement in any type of commensal, parasitic, or symbiotic relationship has not been formally documented. From a conservation perspective the Bent Beak Murex has not been formally evaluated. However, they are fairly common with a relatively wide distribution and should be considered to be of Least Concern.

Synonyms:  Haustellum recurvirostris, Murex (Murex) recurvirostris, Murex nigriscens, Murex recurvirostris, Murex recurvirostris nigrescens, and Murex recurvirostrus.