Snail ID, too

[GerritM]

How knows this snail?
This snail eats my Zoanthus sp. and Palythoa caribaeorum, but even algae from the rocks.

Don?

 

[geemanaz]

look like a Drupella Cornis snail they are coral predator. best bet is to take it out of your tank ASP.

 

[pagojoe]

Hi Gerrit,

I'm fairly sure it's a Muricodrupa species. Its shape is closest to M. pothuanii, but the lack of violet color in the aperture makes me believe it is probably a short-spired M. fiscella.

Here are the top three choices:

http://www.gastropods.com/9/Shell_7149.shtml
http://www.gastropods.com/7/Shell_10007.shtml
http://www.gastropods.com/5/Shell_4235.shtml

You will notice that one of the photos of M. pothuanii has a pale violet aperture, and one shows a dark aperture. I believe the dark one is misidentified, and is actually M. fiscella.

Cheers,



Don

 

[GerritM]

Hi Don!
Thank you very much. My "withe" snail ist then a Muricodrupa fenestrata.

I have a Muricodrupa fiscella in my tank too. Now your ID too Thanks again. :wave:
My first guess was an Drupa sp. but you are right with M. fiscella.
Here my Muricodrupa fiscella:

regards
Gerrit

 

[pagojoe]

Dear Gerrit,

Very nice photos. I also confused these species for some time, until I had seen many of them and was able to compare them. The shell in your last three photos is similar in sculpture, and until recently was included under the Ergalataxinae as genus Spinidrupa. More recently it has been moved to subfamily Rapaninae as Habromorula spinosa. It still looks, to me, very much like an ergalataxine murex. Here are some pics (disregard the top photo and sixth from the top, as they are different Habromorula species):

http://www.gastropods.com/2/Shell_1132.shtml

Cheers,



Don

 

[pagojoe]

And you are correct, I meant to say the one with the white aperture was M. fenestrata, rather than M. fiscella, as you correctly interpreted the photos




Don

 

[GerritM]

Hi Don!

Very nice photos.

Thanks.

I also confused these species for some time, until I had seen many of them and was able to compare them. The shell in your last three photos is similar in sculpture, and until recently was included under the Ergalataxinae as genus Spinidrupa. More recently it has been moved to subfamily Rapaninae as Habromorula spinosa. It still looks, to me, very much like an ergalataxine murex. Here are some pics (disregard the top photo and sixth from the top, as they are different Habromorula species):

http://www.gastropods.com/2/Shell_1132.shtml

Yes, i think, you are right with the ID as Habromorula spinosa:

http://www.conchology.be/?t=66&family=MURICIDAE&species=Habromorula spinosa

Thanks a lot again, Don.

 

[GerritM]

Here a short video from the Habromorula spinosa.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISzG9wY_wHI

 

[pagojoe]

Great video! Fantastic view of the muscles in the foot moving as the animal crawls.