# Muricopsis cristata

Muricopsis (Muricopsis) cristata, common name Blainville's muricop, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.

## Synonyms

* Fusus asperrimus Millet, 1865 (junior homonym of Fusus asperrimus T. Brown, 1827)
* Fusus dodecanesinus Bevilacqua, 1928
* Murex blainvillei Payraudeau, 1826
* Murex blainvillei var. aterrima Dautzenberg, 1890
* Murex blainvillei var. bicolor Monterosato, 1878
* Murex blainvillei var. gracilis Monterosato in Bucquoy, Dautzenberg & Dollfus, 1882
* Murex blainvillei var. gracilis Monterosato, 1870
* Murex blainvillei var. minor Praus, 1906
* Murex blainvillei var. rosea Monterosato, 1878 in Bucquoy, Dautzenberg & Dollfus, 1882
* Murex blainvillei var. trophoniformis Monterosato, 1884
* Murex blainvillei var. violacea Monterosato, in Bucquoy, Dautzenberg & Dollfus, 1882
* Murex blainvillii Payraudeau, 1826
* Murex blainvillii var. bicolor Monterosato, 1878
* Murex cataphractus Sowerby, 1834
* Murex cinosurus Chiereghini in Nardo, 1847
* Murex cristatus Brocchi, 1814 (basionym)
* Murex cristatus var. adellus de Gregorio, 1885
* Murex cristatus var. ampa de Gregorio, 1885
* Murex cristatus var. ampus de Gregorio, 1885
* Murex cristatus var. berdica de Gregorio, 1885 (synonym)
* Murex cristatus var. berdicus de Gregorio, 1885
* Murex cristatus var. emus de Gregorio, 1885
* Murex cristatus var. expallescens Tapparone Canefri, 1869
* Murex cristatus var. inermis Philippi, 1836
* Murex dentatus Anton, 1838
* Murex inermis Philippi, 1836
* Murex inermis trifasciata Nordsieck, 1972
* Murex pliciferus Bivona-Bernardi, 1832
* Murex porrectus Locard, 1886
* Murex pustulatus Locard, 1899
* Murex rudis Risso, 1826
* Murex rugulosa O.G. Costa, 1861
* Murex subspinosus A. Adams, 1854
* Muricidea blainvillei [sic] (misspelling of Muricidea blainvillii (Payraudeau, 1826))
* Muricidea blainvillei var. trophoniformis Weinkauff, 1868)
* Muricidea polliaeformis Weinkauff, 1868
* Muricopsis (Muricopsis) cristata (Brocchi, 1814)· accepted, alternate representation
* Muricopsis atra Nordsieck, 1972
* Muricopsis blainvillei (Payraudeau, 1826)
* Muricopsis blainvillei var. hispida Coen, 1933
* Muricopsis blainvillei var. horrida Monterosato in Coen, 1933
* Muricopsis blainvillei var. oblonga Stalio in Coen, 1933
* Muricopsis blainvillei var. rosea Bucquoy, Dautzenberg & Dollfus, 1882
* Muricopsis blainvillei var. spinulata Coen, 1937
* Muricopsis blainvillei var. spinulosa Coen, 1933
* Muricopsis blainvillei var. spinulosa Stalio in Coen, 1933
* Muricopsis blainvillei var. umbilicata Coen, 1930
* Muricopsis blainvillei var. violacea Bucquoy, Dautzenberg & Dollfus, 1882
* Muricopsis blainvillii (Payraudeau, 1826)
* Muricopsis blainvillii var. horrida Monterosato in Coen, 1933
* Muricopsis blainvillii var. oblonga Stalio in Coen, 1933
* Muricopsis blainvillii var. spinulosa Stalio in Coen, 1933
* Muricopsis cristatus (Brocchi, 1814)
* Muricopsis cristatus major Settepassi, 1977
* Muricopsis cristatus pungens Monterosato in Settepassi, 1977
* Muricopsis cristatus spinulatus Stalio in Settepassi, 1977
* Muricopsis glutinosa Palazzi & Villari, 2001 (dubious synonym)
* Muricopsis hispida Monterosato in Coen, 1933
* Muricopsis inermis (Philippi, 1836)
* Muricopsis inermis trifasciata Nordsieck, 1972
* Muricopsis spinulosa Stalio in Coen, 1933
* Muricopsis spinulosa obsoleta Nordsieck, 1972
* Ocinebra blainvillei [sic] (misspelling of Ocinebra blainvillii (Payraudeau, 1826))
* Ocinebra blainvillei var. elongata Locard & Caziot, 1900
* Ocinebra blainvillei var. ventricosa Locard & Caziot, 1900
* Ocinebrina blainvillei (Payraudeau, 1826)
* Ocinebrina blainvillei var. hirsuta Pallary, 1904
* Ocinebrina blainvillii (Payraudeau, 1826)
* Pollia coccinea Monterosato, 1884 (dubious synonym)

## Fossil records

The fossil record dates back to the Pliocene (age range: from 3.6 to 2.588 million years ago).

## Description

The shell size varies between 10 mm and 35 mm. Size, color and morphology are very variable. The whorls have a variable number of more or less prominent varices showing foliaceous or spinose projections. They have a well-developed siphonal canal, and the siphon is quite elongated.

## Distribution

This quite common species ioccurs in the Mediterranean Sea, in the Atlantic Ocean off Portugal, Morocco and the Canaries and in the Red Sea.