dye murex

The dye murex is a type of marine snail belonging to the family Muricidae. These snails are found worldwide, primarily in tropical waters, and are characterized by their elaborately spined or frilled shells. Many murex species, often called rock shells or rock whelks, inhabit rocky shallow areas.1

These marine snails feed by drilling into the shells of bivalves and other shelled animals, then inserting a long proboscis to consume their prey. A notable characteristic of many murex species is their ability to exude a yellow fluid that, upon exposure to sunlight, transforms into a purple dye. The dye murex (Murex brandaris) from the Mediterranean Sea was historically a significant source of the highly prized Tyrian purple dye, which was once reserved for royalty due to its extreme cost.1234