Hexaplex

Hexaplex is a genus of medium-sized to large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Muricinae of the family Muricidae, the murex shells or rock snails.

This genus is known in the fossil record from the Paleocene to the Quaternary period (age range: from 61.7 to 0.012 million years ago.). Fossil shells within this genus have been found all over the world.

Description

This genus includes shells in the family Muricidae that are solid and globose. They contain five to eight varices that are more or less .

Species

Species within the genus Hexaplex include :

• Hexaplex angularis <small>(Lamarck, 1822)</small>
• †Hexaplex arietinus <small>(Millet, 1865)</small>
• Hexaplex bifasciatus <small>(A. Adams, 1853)</small>
• † Hexaplex bourgeoisi <small>(Tournouër, 1875)</small>
• Hexaplex brassica <small>(Lamarck, 1822)</small>
• Hexaplex cichoreum <small>(Gmelin, 1791)</small>
• Hexaplex conatus <small>(McMichael, 1964)</small>
• Hexaplex duplex <small>Röding, 1798</small>
• Hexaplex erythrostomus <small>(Swainson, 1831)</small>
• Hexaplex fulvescens <small>(Sowerby II, 1834)</small>
• Hexaplex kuesterianus <small>(Tapparone-Canefri, 1875)</small>
• † Hexaplex ledoni <small>Ceulemans, van Dingenen, Merle & Landau, 2016</small>
• Hexaplex megacerus <small>(G.B. Sowerby II, 1834)</small>
• Hexaplex pecchiolianus <small>(d'Ancona, 1871)</small>
• Hexaplex princeps <small>(Broderip, 1833)</small>
• Hexaplex regius <small>(Swainson, 1821)</small>
• Hexaplex rileyi <small>D'Attilio & Myers, 1984</small>
• Hexaplex rosarium <small>(Röding, 1798)</small>
• Hexaplex saharicus <small>(Locard, 1897)</small>
• Hexaplex stainforthi <small>(Reeve, 1843)</small>
• † Hexaplex tapparonii <small>(Bellardi, 1873)</small>
• † Hexaplex tridentatus <small>(Tate, 1888)</small>
• Hexaplex trunculus <small>(Linnaeus, 1758)</small>
• † Hexaplex turonensis <small>(Dujardin, 1837)</small>

Species brought into synonymy:

• Hexaplex ambiguus <small>(Reeve, 1845)</small>: synonym of Muricanthus ambiguus <small>(Reeve, 1845)</small>
• Hexaplex anatomica <small>Perry, 1811</small>: synonym of Homalocantha anatomica <small>(Perry, 1811)</small> (original combination)
• Hexaplex bojadorensis <small>(Locard, 1897)</small>: synonym of Favartia bojadorensis <small>(Locard, 1897)</small>
• Hexaplex bozzadamii <small>(Franchi, 1990)</small>: synonym of Hexaplex kusterianus bozzadamii (Franchi, 1990),: synonym of Hexaplex kuesterianus bozzadamii <small>(Franchi, 1990)</small>
• Hexaplex foliacea <small>Perry, 1811</small>: synonym of Hexaplex cichoreum <small>(Gmelin, 1791)</small> (synonym)
• Hexaplex fusca <small>Perry, 1811</small>: synonym of Homalocantha scorpio <small>(Linnaeus, 1758)</small> (synonym)
• Hexaplex kusterianus: synonym of Hexaplex kuesterianus <small>(Tapparone Canefri, 1875)</small> (misspelling)
• Hexaplex nigritus <small>(Philippi, 1845)</small>: synonym of Muricanthus nigritus <small>(Philippi, 1845)</small>
• Hexaplex punctuata <small>Perry, 1811</small>: synonym of Hexaplex fulvescens <small>(G. B. Sowerby II, 1834)</small> (nomen oblitum)
• Hexaplex puniceus <small>W. R. B. Oliver, 191</small>5: synonym of Favartia garrettii <small>(Pease, 1868)</small>
• Hexaplex radix <small>(Gmelin, 1791)</small>: synonym of Muricanthus radix <small>(Gmelin, 1791)</small>
• Hexaplex ryalli <small>Houart, 1993</small>: synonym of Hexaplex saharicus ryalli <small>Houart, 1993</small> (original combination)
• Hexaplex strausi <small>(A.H. Verrill, 1950)</small>: synonym of Muricanthus strausi <small>(A. H. Verrill, 1950)</small>
• Hexaplex tenuis <small>Perry, 1811</small>: synonym of Homalocantha scorpio <small>(Linnaeus, 1758)</small> (synonym)
• Hexaplex turbinatus : synonym of Hexaplex duplex <small>(Röding, 1798)</small>
• Hexaplex varius <small>(Sowerby II, 1834)</small>: synonym of Chicoreus varius <small>(G. B. Sowerby II, 1834)</small>

Extinct species

Extinct species within the genus Hexaplex include:

• †Hexaplex (Hexaplex) colei <small> Palmer 1937</small>
• †Hexaplex (Hexaplex) engonatus <small> Conrad 1833</small>
• †Hexaplex (Hexaplex) etheringtoni <small> Vokes 1968</small>
• †Hexaplex (Hexaplex) katherinae <small> Vokes 1968</small>
• †Hexaplex (Hexaplex) marksi <small> Harris 1894</small>
• †Hexaplex (Hexaplex) silvaticus <small> Palmer 1937</small>
• †Hexaplex (Hexaplex) supernus <small> Palmer 1947</small>
• †Hexaplex (Hexaplex) texanus <small> Vokes 1968</small>
• †Hexaplex (Hexaplex) vanuxemi <small> Conrad 1865</small>
• †Hexaplex (Hexaplex) veatchi <small> Maury 1910</small>
• †Hexaplex (Trunculariopsis) bourgeoisi <small> Tournouër 1875</small>
• †Hexaplex (Trunculariopsis) brevicanthos <small> Sismonda 1847</small>
• †Hexaplex (Trunculariopsis) campanii <small> De Stefani and Pantanelli 1878</small>
• †Hexaplex (Trunculariopsis) rudis <small> Borson 1821</small>
• †Hexaplex hertweckorum <small> Petuch 1988</small>

References

Further reading

• Radwin G. E. & D'Attilio A. (1986) Murex shells of the world. An illustrated guide to the Muricidae. Stanford Univ. Press, Stanford, x + pp.&nbsp;1–284 incl 192 figs. + 32 pls.
• Gofas, S.; Le Renard, J.; Bouchet, P. (2001). Mollusca, in: Costello, M.J. et al. (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels, 50: pp.&nbsp;180–213
• Merle D., Garrigues B. & Pointier J.-P. (2011) Fossil and Recent Muricidae of the world. Part Muricinae. Hackenheim: Conchbooks. 648 pp.