| Ocenebra erinaceus (Linnaeus, 1771) |
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Denmark to Canarias, Azores to Mediterranean. Predator on bivalves from the intertidal zone down to 150m deep.
Original taxon: Murex erinaceus.
Shallow water on rocks, La Guardiola, Cala d’Alivu, Isola Rossa, NW. Corsica. 24-35mm. |
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Synonyms chicoroides, cinguliferus, congener, imbricatus, labiosus,lampusiopsis, triquetra etc.
Ajaccio, SW. Corsica, 45mm. |
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Varies in shape, colors, sculpture, banding.
6m deep, on rocks, Bali bay, Heraklion, N. Crete. 45mm. |
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Murex erinaceus in H. M. D. de Blainville: “Malacozoaires ou Animaux Mollusques”, Faune française, Paris 1828-1830?, plate V. On top, two mediterrranean specimens of what will be named the variant “hanleyi” by Dautzenberg; on the bottom, a specimen of the “celtic” population, according to Blainville. |
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Many named variants: convulsa, elongata, foliosa, neglecta, pagodulina, thersites…
1-3m deep on rocks, on a reef at the end of Vardantoni street, Kissamos, NW. Crete. 31-34mm. |
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Form “hanleyi” Dautzenberg, 1887.
In nets, 15-30m deep, Almería, Andalucia, Spain. 33-35mm. |
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Form “horrida” Monterosato, 1833.
20-30m deep, in nets, Pulj, Istra, Croatia. 44mm. |
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| A “hanleyi” from Málaga. 46mm. |
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| The Alborán Sea hosts many great specimens of the form “hanleyi”. 6m deep, on sand, Torrox, Málaga. 31-42mm. |
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| A kind of “hanleyi” from the Vidourle sedimentary banks, Le-Grau-du-Roi, Gard, S. France. 45mm. Collection E. Vial. |
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Adult. Details of the sculpture.
Palavas-les-Flots, Gard, S. France. 35mm.
Original pictures provided by S. Clanzig (FR).
– (CC BY-NC-SA) – |
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| Funny monster trawled at 80-100m deep, on muddy bottom, off Punta de Monta, Almuñecar, Granada, Andalucia. 39mm. |
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Dark population from Cagliari bay, S. Sardinia.
Found at 3m deep, on rocks. 25-27mm. |
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Shells from lagunar systems often show some melanism.
Arcachon Basin, SW. France. 39-40mm. |
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Two specimens from near W. Cádiz province, Andalucia, SW. Spain. Left: fresh dead, San Lucar de Barrameda. 43mm. Right: 1m deep, under stone, near oyster, Chipiona. 37mm.
B.J. Muñoz Sanchez legit (ES). |
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Specimen waiting for the high tide, Western Cádiz, SW. Spain. Original picture provided by B. J. Muñoz-Sánchez (ES).
– (CC BY-NC-SA) – |
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Banded specimens with good varices.
At low tide, in pools and under stones, Les Vincentes, L’Écuissière, Dolus, Oléron island, Charente-maritime, W. France. 32-35mm. |
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| At low tide, in stones and pebbles, Le Platin oyster parks, Rivedoux, Ré island, Charente-maritime. 40-47mm. |
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| The specimens in situ. Notice a brown Ocinebrellus inornatus (Récluz, 1851) at left, between two large pebbles. |
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| Same spot. This is a special population, restricted to this shallow water flat. It shows a great homogeneity. 40-43mm. |
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Body of pale cream colour, with many clearer and irregular blotches. « It’s difficult to get a specimen with the body extended; erinaceus is a timid species. » – G. Bonomolo (IT). Above: a specimen pictured at low tide at Piriac-sur-Mer, Loire-Atlantique, W. France. Original picture provided by M. Renou for iNaturalist – (CC BY-NC). |
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| Oyster farm at Larmor Baden, Morbihan, S. Brittany, NW. France. 42mm. |
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| A shell from English Channel: intertidal on rocks, la Ville Men, Cap Fréhel, N. Brittany. 38mm. |
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| The species in E. Donovan: The natural history of British shells, vol. I, London 1799, plate XXXV. |
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| At extreme low tide on rocks and on sea-wall, along the Petit Bey islet, Saint-Malo, N. Brittany. 29-32,5mm. |
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Specimen guarding eggs at low tide, Kircubbin, eastern shore of Strangford Lough, Borough of Ards and North Down, NE. Ulster. Original picture provided by J. Sigwart for iNaturalist – (CC BY-NC). |
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The eggs, pictured in shallow water, north of the light of the canal, Frontingan, Thau lagoon, Hérault, S. France. Original picture provided by X. Rufray for iNaturalist – (CC BY-NC). |
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Two eggs pictured at low tide off La Ville Neuve, north of Saint-Suliac, Rance estuary, N. Brittany, NW. France. Original picture provided by P. Corbrion for iNaturalist – (CC BY-NC-SA). |
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50cm deep, Jasenovo bay, Vrsi, Zadar Comitat, Croatia. Original pictures provided by A. Petani (HR).
– (CC BY-NC-SA) – |
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| Sheltered on the underside of a big rock, at extreme low tide, Les Ébihens Islet, Saint-Jacut-de-la-Mer, N. Brittany. |
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| Same reef at extreme low tide, in the zone of Sphaerococcus coronopifolius, on rocks and in crevices. |
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| Juvenile from 33m deep, Punta de la Mona, La Herradura, Granada, Andalucia. 3,4mm. Original pictures provided by A. Nappo (IT) – (CC BY-NC-SA). |