Gastropoda |
Neogastropoda |
Muricidae
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Benthic; brackish; depth range 10 - 60 m (Ref. 83435). Tropical; 4°C - 35°C (Ref. 88058); 41°N - 16°N, 53°E - 143°E
Indo-West Pacific. Introduced in the Atlantic, the Mediterranean and Black Sea.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm Max length : 16.1 cm SHH male/unsexed; (Ref. 83435)
The species has a short-spired, heavy shell with a large inflated deep body whorl and deep umbilicus. The columella is broad, smooth, and slightly concave. Small and elongated teeth are present along the edge of the outer lip of the large ovate aperture. The external shell ornamentation has smooth spiral ribs that end in regular blunt knobs at both the shoulder and the periphery of the body whorl. In addition, fine spiral ridges are crossed by low vertical riblets. Body color is variable from gray to orange-brown and rarely blonde, with darker brown dashes on the spiral ribs. The aperture and columella vary from deep orange to yellow or off-white. Spiral, vein-like coloration, varying from black to dark blue, occasionally occurs internally, originating at the individual teeth at the outer lip of the aperture.
A large, predatory gastropod (Ref. 87893). The juvenile and adult stage of this species are preyed upon by loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) (Ref. 87893). Larvae are dispersed with water currents (Ref. 87977). This gastropod is a successful invader of marine coastal/brackish ecosystems , being tolerant to wide variations in temperature, salinity and oxygen concentration (Ref. 87992, 87996). Rapa whelks are generally encountered in areas to depths of 30 m in the Black Sea; on sandy bottoms at 15 m covered by Zostera sp. and Cymodocea nodosa meadows (Ref. 7956). Also occurs in rocky and muddy habitat (Ref. 87909). Feeds on bivalves (Ref. 87979).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
This species is a non-broadcast spawner. Life cycle does not include trocophore stage. Also Ref. 833.
Tan, K.S. 2000 Species checklist of Muricidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) in the South China Sea. The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 8:495-512. (Ref. 81755)
IUCN Red List Status
(Ref. 130435: Version 2025-1)
CITES status (Ref. 108899)
Not Evaluated
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial
| FishSource | Sea Around Us
Tools
More information
PhysiologyOxygen consumption
Human RelatedStamps, coins, misc.
Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature
(Ref.
115969): 14 - 28, mean 25 (based on 570 cells).
Prior r = 0.78, 95% CL = 0.51 - 1.17, Based on 1 full stock assessment.
Fishing Vulnerability
Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
Nutrients : Calcium = 126 [75, 177] mg/100g; Iron = 4.79 [1.67, 7.92] mg/100g; Protein = 15.9 [14.8, 16.9] %; Omega3 = 0.331 [0.263, 0.400] g/100g; Selenium = 57.8 [48.5, 67.2] μg/100g; VitaminA = 0 μg/100g; Zinc = 1.97 [0.92, 3.02] mg/100g (wet weight); based on
nutrient studies.
