Home > Invertebrates > Shells > Murex > Coralliophilinae

Family Muricidae

Subfamily Coralliophilinae

Coral-loving Shells

Some of these cryptic snails live and feed upon live corals.  They inhabit a home scar or burrow by devouring the coral tissue and dissolving the hard skeleton.  Others such as the highly-prized Latiaxis are dredged from very deep-water and little is known about their biology.

 

INDO-PACIFIC / HAWAII

Coralliophila elaborata

 

ELABORATE CORAL-LOVING SHELL

 

Coralliophila erosa

ERODED CORAL-LOVING SHELL

 
Coralliophila violacea

VIOLET-MOUTHED CORAL-LOVING SHELL

 

Coralliophila fimbriata

FRINGED CORAL-LOVING SHELL

 

Quoyula monodonta

SINGLE-TOOTHED CORAL-LOVING SHELL