Identification Photos: Cabbage Murex, Phyllonotus brassica: The Cabbage Murex has a white shell with a beautiful pink color at the aperture. It ranges in size from 4 to 6 inches with the size of the aperture between one-and-a-half and two-and-a-half inches.

The Cabbage Murex is only found in the Pacific Ocean and in Mexico it ranges from Magdalena Bay south along the Pacific side of Baja California, throughout the Sea of Cortez, and along the coast of the mainland south to Guatemala.

The Cabbage Murex is quite similar to the smaller Pink Mouthed Murex, Phyllonotus erthrostomus, but has a distinctive pattern of spines. The shells are sold commercially for use in aquariums, as they make excellent homes for crabs.

The Cabbage Murex is a member of the Muricidae Family, a very large family, found worldwide, with approximately 100 genera and more than 700 species. The shells vary in size from one-fourth inch to ten inches high. The shell may be elongated and broadly ovate to almost round. Some have long spines, others strong axial ribs, and some species are smooth. All have a stout, horny, oval operculum.

Murexes live on rocks or reefs and are carnivores, feeding on other gastropods as well as bivalves, barnacles, worms, coral, and other invertebrates. They attack their prey by boring holes utilizing the radula and a gland in the foot that secretes various fluids to help in the boring action. The sexes are separate. The female lays the fertilized eggs in horny capsules, fastening them to rocks or hard objects singly or in clusters.

Cabbage Murex, Phyllonotus brassica: Donated to Mexfish.com by the commercial panguero Mexican fishermen of Todos Santos, Baja California Sur, Mexico, June 2007. Size 5 inches. Description and photos courtesy of John Snow.