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.