Answers to Know your Muricidae
By Betty Hunter

Note: Answers may include validly proposed names which have been relegated to synonymy, sub-specific names, and forms.

1. What species of the genus Chicoreus might be engaged in the timber industry?
   Chicoreus ramosus (Linné, 1758)

2. What member of the genus Dermomurex would have a keen interest in the grain industry?
   Dermomurex bakeri (Hertlein & Strong, 1951)

3. What member of the genus Homalocantha mentions a nocturnal arachnid with a venomous sting?
   Homalocantha scorpio (Linné, 1758)

4. What species of Dermomurex might be an excellent proofreader of paragraphs?
   Dermomurex indentatus (Carpenter, 1857)

5. What species of Dermomurex and Aspella each mention a different form of Egyptian architecture?
   Dermomurex obeliscus (A. Adams, 1853), Aspella pyramidalis (Broderip, 1833)

6. What member of the genus Naquetia immediately suggests a religious order of monks and a species of monkeys?
   Naquetia capucina (Lamarck, 1822)

7. What rare species of Pterynotus suggests a lighthouse visible throughout the night?
   Pterynotus lightbourni Harasewych & Jensen, 1979

8. What species of Phyllonotus suggests a two-family dwelling?
   Phyllonotus duplex (Röding, 1798)

9. What murex suggests a person who is bat-brained or batty?
   Pterynotus vespertilio (Kira, 1959)

10. What murex suggests a fluent, clear speaker?
    Siratus articulatus Reeve, 1845

11. What Murexiella species name sounds like that of a serious liver ailment?
    Murexiella cirrosa (Hinds, 1844)

12. What species of Siratus sounds like the name of a southern state?
    Siratus virgineus (Röding, 1798)

13. What species of Favartia names a mythical monster which was half-man and half-bull?
    Favartia minatauros Radwin & D'Attilio, 1978.

14. The genus Aspella boasts a set of twins. Homer describes one as good at boxing and the other as good at taming horses. Who are they?
    Aspella pollux Radwin & D'Attilio, 1978, Aspella castor Radwin & D'Attilio, 1978

15. What species of Favartia was almost certainly a pauper?
    Favartia poormani Radwin & D'Attilio, 1978

16. What species of Aspella is mysterious and often shows a perplexing brevity of expression?
    Aspella cryptica Radwin & D'Attilio, 1978

17. What species of Chicoreus bears the name of the Greek goddess of hunting and wild animals?
    Chicoreus artemis Radwin & D'Attilio, 1978

18. What species of Haustellum suggests a woollen fabric usually made in a twill weave?
    Haustellum tweedianum (Macpherson, 1962)

19. What genus and species of Muricidae names both the composer and title of a French opera?
    Bizitiella carmen (Lowe, 1935)

20. What species of Litozamia is among Santa's most famous employees?
    Litozamia rudolphi (Blazier, 1894)

21. What species of Chicoreus reminds one of a religious order named after its founder?
    Chicoreus benedictinus (Lobbecke, 1879)

22. What species of Murexiella appears to be a member of Spain's lower nobility?
    Murexiella hidalgoi (Crosse, 1869)

23. What species of Chicoreus suggests a special kind of brown cardboard?
    Chicoreus corrugatus (Sowerby, 1841)

24. What species of Haustellum names a twentieth century U.S. President?
    Haustellum wilsoni D'Attilio & Old, 1971

25. What species of Nipponotrophon names a monster slain by Perseus?
    Nipponotrophon gorgon (Dall, 1913)

Questions

First published in the Jacksonville Shell-O-Gram, edited by Bill Frank.
Betty Hunter, member of the Jacksonville Shell Club and Conchologists of America for many years, passed away Dec 3, 1996, mourned by her friends, former Latin students and fellow collectors everywhere. We'll miss her passion for shells and their names and for classical lore and language.