Giant Eastern Murex (Hexaplex fulvescens Sowerby, 1834): It Doesn't Dye

The sturdy Giant Eastern Murex may be found on beaches from North Carolina to Florida, and on Texas shores. It may attain a height of 7 inches. There are seven or eight whorls (turns of the spiral shell), and three or more varices (raised longitudinal ribs). There are spines and fronds (plate-like “wings” or frills) sticking out from the ribs. It is a buff-white color. The shell pictured is worn and sun-beached; since it is surprisingly heavy, one can assume that some fossilization had occured.

“Cousin” gastropods of the Giant Eastern Murex were used by ancient Phoenicians, Greeks, and Romans as a source of dye. A yellowish fluid was extracted from the mantles (the outer covering of the soft part of the mollusk) of Bolinus brandaris, M. trunculus, and Purpura haemastoma. When boiled and treated, this liquid makes a permanent purple or crimson dye. Royalty wore robes dyed this “Tyrian purple” color, which is defined as a bluish-red. The whole family of Murex shells are called Rock or Dye Shells.

Notes

The shell pictured here was found at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
For more information on the Giant Eastern Murex see:
- R. Tucker Abbott and Percy A. Morris, Peterson Field Guides: Shells of the Atlantic & Gulf Coasts & the West Indies.
- Jerry G. Walls, Shell Collecting.
Classification: Family Muricidae; Superfamily Muricoidea; Suborder Neogastropoda; Order Caenogastropoda.
Scientific nomenclature is subject to change, due to ongoing research. The above classification corresponds to that published by the Conchologists of America, Inc.
Digital formatting is by Jonathan Mitchell.

Giant Eastern Murex:Built Like a Rock

Notes

Giant Eastern Murex:
Built Like a Rock