Bolinus

Bolinus
Temporal range: Miocene - Recent
Two shells of the spiny dye-murex, Bolinus brandaris
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
(unranked): clade Caenogastropoda
clade Hypsogastropoda
clade Neogastropoda
Superfamily: Muricoidea
Family: Muricidae
Subfamily: Muricinae
Genus: Bolinus
Pusch, 1837[1]
Synonyms[2]

Bolinus is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.[2]

This genus is known in the fossil record from the Miocene to the Pliocene period (age range: from 15.97 to 2.588 million years ago.). Fossil shells within this genus have been found in Cyprus, Austria, Italy and Turkey.[3]

Some species of these molluscs were known since ancient times as a source for purple dye and also as a popular food source.

Description

Fossil shell of Bolinus brandaris torularius from Pliocene

The adult shells of Bolinus species can reach a size of about 60–200 millimetres (2.4–7.9 in). They are usually pale or golden brown, thick and spiny with a long and straight siphonal canal and a rounded and broad body whorl.

They are carnivorous and predatory

Distribution

Snails within this genus mainly live along the Atlantic coast of Africa and in the Mediterranean Sea.

Habitat

They inhabit shallow water and prefer gravelled or rocky substrate.

Species

Species within the genus Bolinus include:

References

  1. ↑ Pusch (1837). Polens Palaeont. (2): 134.
  2. 1 2 Bolinus Pusch, 1837.  Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 25 April 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 Fossilworks
  4. ↑ Bolinus brandaris (Linnaeus, 1758).  Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 25 April 2010.
  5. ↑ Bolinus cornutus (Linnaeus, 1758).  Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 25 April 2010.


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