Seashells of Malaysia

In year 2008, Malay Post issued the stamp set features seashells of Malaysia that comprises of one souvenir sheet and 4 single postage stamps. The species of seashells have depicted are Venus comb murex (Murex pecten), Horned helmet (Cassis cornuta), Burnt murex (Chicoreus brunneus), Frog shell (Tutufa rubeta), and Triton’s trumpet (Charonia tritonis).

The Venus comb murex, or  Murex pecten, is a species of large predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the rock snails or murex snails. The shell of this Indo-Pacific species has a very long siphonal canal, and numerous spines.

The shell has over one hundred spines, which provide protection from predation, and prevent the snail from sinking in the soft mud. 

Like many other murex snails, it feeds on other mollusks. The Venus comb murex is a common species, but perfect specimens of the shell are not easily found because of the fragility of the numerous long spines. The species grows to between 10 and 15 cm in length.

 

Horned helmet (Cassis cornuta) is a species of very large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Cassidae, the helmet shells and their allies.

Burnt murex (Chicoreus brunneus), common name the adusta murex, is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails.The adult shell size of Burnt murex varies between 25 mm and 115 mm in length.

Burnt murex snail is found widely spread in the Indo-West Pacific, and occurs from east Africa to Polynesia, southern Japan, New South Wales and New Caledonia, Australia.

Frog shell (Tutufa rubeta) is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Bursidae, the frog shells.

Triton’s trumpet (Charonia tritonis), is a species of very large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Ranellidae, the tritons.This species is found throughout the Indo-Pacific oceans.

The shell is well known as a decorative object, and is sometimes modified for use as a trumpet (such as the Japanese horagai). Charonia tritonis is one of the few animals that feeds on the crown-of-thorns starfish, Acanthaster planci.