Hexaplex fulvescens, the giant eastern murex or giant Atlantic murex or tawny murex, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.

Distribution

This species is native to the western Atlantic Ocean from North Carolina to Cape Canaveral, Florida and it is also present in the Gulf of Mexico from Florida west to Texas.

Habitat

These quite uncommon sea snails live at depths of 0 to 80 m. In fact, they commonly can be found in deeper waters, but they can also be found in shallow inshore waters. Commercial scallop operations out of Florida sometimes trawl this species in 100 - 120 feet depth.

Description

Shells of Hexaplex fulvescens can reach a size of 60 - 223 mm. These snails are massive and spinose and they are the largest muricid snails of the Western Atlantic (hence the common name). They have several straight or bifurcate spines arranged in 6-10 radial rows with spiraling ridges. Snail surface may be whitish, grayish or pale brown, the aperture is oval with crenulate edges. The siphonal canal is short.

Biology

Hexaplex fulvescens are active predators on other mollusks (mussels, oysters and clams). They lay their eggs in capsules attached under rocks.