Babelomurex cariniferus facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Babelomurex cariniferus
Apertural view of Babelomurex cariniferus
Conservation status
Near Threatened (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Genus:	Babelomurex
Species:	cariniferus
Synonyms
Babelomurex (Babelomurex) babelis Réquien, E., 1848 Babelomurex (Babelomurex) bozzetti Kosuge, S., 1994 Babelomurex spinulosus Costa, O.G., 1861 Coralliophila babelis Requien Coralliophila carinata Koroneos, 1979 Coralliophila lacerata (Deshayes, 1856) Coralliophila lacerata var. piruloides Martens, 1876 (dubious synonym) Fusus babelis Requien, 1848 Fusus babelis var. regalis Requien, 1848 Latiaxis babelis (Requien, 1848) (junior synonym) Latiaxis cariniferus (Sowerby I, 1834) (currently placed in genus Babelomurex) Latiaxis elegans Angas, 1878 (synonym) Murex cariniferus Sowerby G.B. I, 1834 Murex laceratum Deshayes, 1856 (dubious synonym) Pseudomurex minor Monterosato, T.A. de M. di, 1872 Purpura gravesii Broderip, 1837

Babelomurex cariniferus, common name Babel's latiaxis, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.

Distribution

Babelomurex cariniferus is present from the Mediterranean Sea to the west coast of Africa (Canaries, Cape Verde, Angola).

This species (as junior synonym Latiaxis babelis) is listed in the IUCN Red List, because it is thought to be endemic to Malta.

Habitat

These sea snails live in the coral reef among corals and sponges. They can be found from a few meters to more than 1000.

A shell of Babelomurex cariniferus from Sicily

Description

Shells of Babelomurex cariniferus can reach a size of 20–45 millimetres (0.79–1.77 in). The shell surface may be whitish or dark greyish. These shells are variably shaped. They show numerous flattened spires with very thorny axial ribs. The keels of the whorls are adorned with several spiniform scales. A corneous operculum is present.

This species is quite similar to Babelomurex benoiti, but Babelomurex cariniferus is more variable in feature and sculpture and differs in the number of spiniform scales.

Biology

These uncommon infralittoral sea snails are specialist feeders. In fact they feed exclusively on the polyps of the colonies of scleractinian stony corals.