Pygmaepterys
A genus of small murex snails in the subfamily Muricopsinae.
Last updated
Manuel CABALLER · via Wikipedia: Pygmaepterys · CC BY 4.0
Pygmaepterys is a genus of marine gastropod molluscs, specifically sea snails, belonging to the subfamily Muricopsinae within the family Muricidae—commonly known as murex snails or rock snails. The genus includes a wide range of both living and fossil species, found in marine environments across different regions.
Scientific classification
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumMollusca
- ClassGastropoda
- SubclassCaenogastropoda
- OrderNeogastropoda
- FamilyMuricidae
- GenusPygmaepterys
Named by E. H. Vokes, 1978
Sources: Wikipedia taxobox: Pygmaepterys (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Quick Facts
- Type species
- Murex alfredensis
Facts from the source article.
Background
The genus Pygmaepterys was established within the subfamily Muricopsinae of the family Muricidae. Its species are small marine gastropods commonly known as murex snails or rock snails. The genus includes both living and fossil taxa, with fossil species such as Pygmaepterys aturensis and Pygmaepterys exoletus described by Lozouet in 1999.
Species within Pygmaepterys have been described from diverse localities, including the eastern coast of Africa, the Caribbean, the Indo-Pacific, and the Arabian Sea. Many species were originally described in other genera before being transferred to Pygmaepterys. The genus name reflects the small size of its members, with 'pygmae' referring to diminutive stature.
Did You Know?
- Pygmaepterys includes over 30 extant species described from the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans.
More in Murex Snails
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Pygmaepterys (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Word definitions: the Codexery glossary, each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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