Editing Hexaplex trunculus

{{Short description|Species of gastropod}}
{{Speciesbox
| fossil_range = {{fossil range|3.6|0|[[Pliocene]] – Recent}}
| image = Hexaplex-trunculus-Purpurschnecke.jpg
| image_caption = ''Hexaplex trunculus''
| image2 = Hexaplex trunculus.jpg
| image2_caption = ''Hexaplex trunculus''
| genus = Hexaplex
| parent = Hexaplex (Trunculariopsis)
| species = trunculus
| authority = ([[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], [[10th edition of Systema Naturae|1758]])
| synonyms = * ''Hexaplex (Trunculariopsis) trunculus'' <small>(Linnaeus, 1758)·</small> accepted, alternate representation
''Murex armigerus'' <small>Settepassi, 1970</small> (not available, published in a work which does not consistently use binomial nomenclature (ICZN art. 11.4))
* ''Murex coronatus'' <small>Monterosato in Franceschini, 1906</small> 
* ''Murex dumosus'' <small>de Stefani, 1875</small> 
* ''Murex falcatus'' <small>Sandri & Danilo, 1856</small> (invalid: junior homonym of ''Murex falcatus'' <small>G.B. Sowerby, 1834</small>)
* ''Murex fasciatus'' <small>Risso, 1826</small> (invalid: junior homonym of ''Murex fasciatus'' <small>Gmelin, 1791</small>)
* ''Murex gallica'' <small>Dollfus, 1926</small> 
* ''Murex gallicus'' <small>Dollfus, 1923</small> 
* ''Murex neomagensis'' <small>Fontannes, 1879</small> (dubious synonym)
* ''Murex polygonulus'' <small>Lamarck, 1822</small> 
* ''Murex portulanus'' <small>Monterosato in Franceschini, 1906</small> 
* ''Murex ramulosus'' R<small>isso, 1826</small> 
* ''Murex rivalis'' <small>Monterosato, 1923</small> 
* ''Murex soldanii'' <small>de Stefani, 1875</small>
* ''Murex soldanii meneghini'' <small>de Stefani, 1875</small> 
* ''Murex solidior'' <small>Monterosato in Franceschini, 1906</small> 
* ''Murex subasperrimus'' <small>d'Orbigny, 1852</small> 
* ''Murex taurinensis'' <small>Bellardi & Sacco, 1872</small> (dubious synonym)
* ''Murex trunculus'' <small>[[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], [[10th edition of Systema Naturae|1758]]</small>
* ''Murex yoldii'' <small>Mörch in Sowerby, 1879</small>
* ''Phyllanotus trunculus'' <small>(Linnaeus, 1758)</small>
* ''Polyplex purpurescens'' <small>Perry, 1811</small>
* ''Truncularia trunculus'' <small>(Linnaeus, 1758)</small> 
* ''Truncularia trunculus var. aspera'' <small>Monterosato in Coen, 1933</small> 
* ''Truncularia trunculus var. bulo'' <small>Coen, 1933</small> 
* ''Truncularia trunculus var. purpurifera'' <small>Coen, 1933</small> 
* ''Truncularia trunculus var. tetragona'' <sup>Stalio in Coen, 1933</sup> (infrasubspecific name, not recognized by ICZN)
* ''Trunculariopsis trunculus'' <small>([[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], [[10th edition of Systema Naturae|1758]])</small>
}}

'''''Hexaplex trunculus''''' (previously known as '''''Murex trunculus''''', '''''Phyllonotus trunculus''''', or the '''banded dye-murex''') is a medium-sized  [[sea snail]], a [[marine (ocean)|marine]] [[gastropod]] [[mollusk]] in the family [[Muricidae]], the [[murex]] shells or rock snails. It is included in the subgenus ''Trunculariopsis''.<ref name="WoRMS" />

This species is a group of opportunist predatory snails that are known to attack their prey in groups. What is peculiar about this specific species is that they show no preference for the size of their prey, regardless of their hunger levels.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Guler|first1=Mehmet|last2=Lok|first2=Aynur|date=2019|title=Foraging Behaviors of a Predatory Snail (Hexaplex trunculus) in Group-Attacking|journal=Turkish Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences|volume=19|issue=5|pages=391–398|doi=10.4194/1303-2712-v19_5_04|issn=1303-2712|doi-access=free}}</ref>

The snail appears in fossil records dating between the [[Pliocene]] and [[Quaternary]] periods (between 3.6 and 0.012 million years ago). Fossilized shells have been found in Morocco, Italy, and Spain.<ref name=AA>[https://paleobiodb.org/classic/checkTaxonInfo?taxon_no=190365 Fossilworks]</ref>

This sea snail is historically important because its hypobranchial gland secretes a mucus used to create a distinctive purple-blue [[indigo]] [[dye]]. Ancient [[Mediterranean]] cultures, including the Minoans, [[Canaanites]]/[[Phoenicians]] and classical [[Greeks]] created dyes from the snails. One of the dye's main chemical ingredients is red dibromo-[[indigotin]], the main component of [[tyrian purple]] or [[tekhelet]].<ref name="Radwin, G. E 1986. p93">{{cite book |author1=Radwin, G. E. |author2=D'Attilio, A. |year=1986 |title=Murex shells of the world. An illustrated guide to the Muricidae |page=93 |publisher=Stanford University Press |location=Stanford, CA}} 284&nbsp;pp incl 192&nbsp;figs. & 32&nbsp;pls.</ref> The dye will turn indigo blue, similar to the color of blue jeans, if exposed to sunlight before the dye sets.

;Subspecies:
* ''Hexaplex trunculus trunculus'' <small>(Linnaeus, 1758)</small>

==Distribution==

This species lives in the [[Mediterranean Sea]] and the [[Atlantic]] coasts of [[Europe]] and [[Africa]], specifically [[Spain]], [[Portugal]], [[Morocco]], the [[Canary Islands]], [[Azores]].<ref name="WoRMS">{{ cite book |author1=Houart, R. |author2=Gofas, S. | year = 2009 | chapter = ''Hexaplex trunculus'' (Linnaeus, 1758) |editor1=Bouchet, P. |editor2=Gofas, S. |editor3=Rosenberg, G. | title = World Marine Mollusca Database | publisher = World Register of Marine Species | chapter-url = http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=140396 | access-date = 2010-05-05 }}</ref>
This murex occurs in shallow, [[littoral|sublittoral]] waters.
[[File:Distribution-map-of-Hexaplex-trunculus.png|left|thumb|Distribution map of ''Hexaplex trunculus'']]

==Shell description==
[[File:Hexaplex Trunculus.jpg|right|thumb|Compilations of commonly found species of ''Hexaplex trunculus'']]
''Hexaplex trunculus'' has a broadly conical shell about 4 to 10&nbsp;cm long.  It has a rather high spire with seven angulated [[whorl (mollusc)|whorl]]s, and the shell is formed similar to the shape of a fish. The shell is variable in sculpture and coloring with dark banding, in four varieties. The ribs sometimes develop thickenings or spines and give the shell a rough appearance. The shell is often covered in algae, which camouflages it, making it appear very similar to the seabed.  
<gallery>
Mušle.jpg|Apertural view of a shell
Mušle (2).jpg|Dorsal view of a shell
Hexaplex Trunculus camouflaged in sea fouling.png|''Hexaplex trunculus'' camouflaged in [[microalgae]]
Muricidae - Hexaplex trunculus conglobatus.JPG|Fossil shell of ''Hexaplex trunculus conglobatus'' from Pliocene
קונכיות ארגמונים מתקופת הברזל II (מאות 7-10 לפנה"ס).jpg|Murex shells from the Iron Age II period (10th–7th centuries BCE) with ancient remains of purple on the shards seen on the right
</gallery>

== Human use ==
Snail secretions were used as [[dye]] in ancient times. People still eat the snail in Spain and [[Portugal]].<ref>{{ cite journal |author1=Vasconcelos, P. |author2=Carvalho, S. |author3=Castro, M. |author4=Gaspar, M. B. | year = 2008 | title = The artisanal fishery for muricid gastropods (banded murex and purple dye murex) in the Ria Formosa lagoon (Algarve coast, southern Portugal) | journal = Scientia Marina | volume = 72 | issue = 2 | pages = 287–298 | doi = 10.3989/scimar.2008.72n2287 | doi-access = free | hdl = 10400.1/11577 | hdl-access = free }}</ref>

===As ancient dye===
The oldest known purple textiles were discovered in [[Syria]], dating back to the early second millennium BCE. Among these findings are textiles from a burial site at [[Chagar Bazar]], which date back to the 18th to 16th centuries BCE, as well as samples of preserved textiles found in gypsum at the Royal Palace of [[Qatna]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=James |first1=Matthew A. |last2=Reifarth |first2=Nicole |last3=Mukherjee |first3=Anna J. |last4=Crump |first4=Matthew P. |last5=Gates |first5=Paul J. |last6=Sandor |first6=Peter |last7=Robertson |first7=Francesca |last8=Pfälzner |first8=Peter |last9=Evershed |first9=Richard P. |date=December 2009 |title=High prestige Royal Purple dyed textiles from the Bronze Age royal tomb at Qatna, Syria |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antiquity/article/abs/high-prestige-royal-purple-dyed-textiles-from-the-bronze-age-royal-tomb-at-qatna-syria/69EC1A74600EC74AAAC26D2F585ACF5A |journal=Antiquity |language=en |volume=83 |issue=322 |pages=1109–1118 |doi=10.1017/S0003598X00099397 |s2cid=162563421 |issn=0003-598X|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Sukenik |first1=Naama |last2=Iluz |first2=David |last3=Amar |first3=Zohar |last4=Varvak |first4=Alexander |last5=Shamir |first5=Orit |last6=Ben-Yosef |first6=Erez |date=2021-01-28 |title=Early evidence of royal purple dyed textile from Timna Valley (Israel) |journal=PLOS ONE |language=en |volume=16 |issue=1 |pages=e0245897 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0245897 |issn=1932-6203 |pmc=7842898 |pmid=33507987 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2021PLoSO..1645897S }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Karapanagiotis |first=Ioannis |date=January 2019 |title=A Review on the Archaeological Chemistry of Shellfish Purple |journal=Sustainability |language=en |volume=11 |issue=13 |pages=3595 |doi=10.3390/su11133595 |issn=2071-1050 |doi-access=free }}</ref> 
[[File:Tunisian Purple.jpg|thumb|260px|left|Carthaginian murex pigment from Tunisia]]
[[File:Purple_Purpur_(retouched).jpg|thumb|Purple dyed fabric]]
The ancient method for mass-producing blue dye from ''Hexaplex trunculus'' has not been successfully reproduced. Today, with stronger reduction agents which are more transparent, it is possible to break the original purplish hue molecule and degrade it by introducing it to UV sun rays, resulting in a more blue color. Therefore, archeologists have confirmed ''Hexaplex trunculus'' as the species used to create the purple-blue dye; large numbers of shells were recovered from inside ancient live-storage chambers that were used for harvesting. Apparently, 10 to 12,000 shells yielded only one gram of dye. Because of this, the dye was highly prized. Also known as ''Royal Purple'', it was prohibitively expensive and was only used by the highest ranking aristocracy.

A similar dye, ''[[Tyrian purple]]'', which is purple-red in color, was made from a related species of marine snail, ''[[Bolinus brandaris|Murex brandaris]]''. This dye (alternatively known as ''imperial purple'', see [[purple]]) was also prohibitively expensive.

Jews may have used the pigment from the shells to create a sky-blue, ''[[tekhelet]]'', dye to put on the [[tzitzit|fringes]] that the [[Torah]] specifies for the corner of the [[Tallit|prayer shawl]]. This blue dye would have been made by taking the yellow dye solution and letting it sit in the sunlight, and then dipping the wool in it. This dye was lost to history until it was rediscovered by Otto Elsner, a professor at the [[Shenkar College of Fibers]] in [[Haifa]]. Since then, it has been re-introduced as the authentic ''tekhelet'' and has once again been reinstated to the Jewish garment <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://tekhelet.com/tekhelet/introduction-to-tekhelet/|title=Tekhelet 101}}</ref> although only with limited acceptance.

==References==
{{Reflist}}
* Ruppert, E.E., R.S. Fox and R.D. Barnes 2004 ''Invertebrate Zoology. A functional evolutionary approach''. 7th Ed. Brooks/Cole, Thomson Learning learning, Inc. 990 p.
* Templado, J. and R. Villanueva 2010 ''Checklist of Phylum Mollusca.'' pp.&nbsp;148–198 In Coll, M., et al., 2010. The biodiversity of the Mediterranean Sea: estimates, patterns, and threats. PLoS ONE 5(8):36pp
* Settepassi F. (1970). Atlante malacologico dei molluschi marini viventi nel Mediterraneo Vol. 1. [Malacologial atlas of living marine molluscs in Mediterranean Sea, Vol. 1.].Museo di Zoologia del Communedi.Roma
* Coen G. (1933). Saggio di una Sylloge Molluscorum Adriaticorum. Memorie del Regio Comitato Talassografico Italiano 192: pp. i-vii, 1-186

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{SealifePhotos|140396}}
* [https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886 Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Editio decima, reformata &#91;10th revised edition&#93;, vol. 1: 824 pp.&nbsp;Laurentius Salvius: Holmiae.]
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=_sJfAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA107 Danilo F. & Sandri G. B. (1856). Elenco nominale dei gasteropodi testacei marini raccolti nei dintorni di Zara. pp. 107-150, In: Programma dell'I.R. ginnasio completo di prima classe: in Zara alla fine dell'anno scolastico 1855-1856. Zara, Tipografia Governiale.]
* [http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/58984 Risso, A. (1826-1827). Histoire naturelle des principales productions de l'Europe Méridionale et particulièrement de celles des environs de Nice et des Alpes Maritimes. Paris, Levrault:. . 3(XVI): 1-480, 14 pls.]
* [https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/47433 Lamarck, &#91;J.-B. M.&#93; de. (1822). Histoire naturelle des animaux sans vertèbres. Tome septième. Paris: published by the Author, 711 pp]
* [https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/38908552 Gregorio A. de. (1884-1885). Studi su talune conchiglie mediterranee viventi e fossili con una rivista del genere Vulsella. Bullettino della Società Malacologica Italiana. 10: 36-128 &#91;1884&#93;, 129-288 &#91;1885&#93;, pl. 1-5]
* [http://www.vliz.be/imisdocs/publications/ocrd/254404.pdf Gofas, S.; Le Renard, J.; Bouchet, P. (2001). Mollusca. in: Costello, M.J. et al. (eds), European Register of Marine Species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Patrimoines Naturels. 50: 180-213]

{{Taxonbar|from=Q2306412}}

[[Category:Hexaplex]]