Plicopurpura pansa is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.[1]

Plicopurpura pansa
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Neogastropoda
Family: Muricidae
Genus: Plicopurpura
Species:
P. pansa
Binomial name
Plicopurpura pansa
(Gould, 1853)
Synonyms[1]
  • Purpura pansa Gould, 1853

Description

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Plicopurpura pansa can be recognized for its usage to create one of the dyes produced from animal sources, Tyrian purple.[2] This organism is the only one from its family that can have its dye expelled and collected without causing harm or execution to it.Historically, this shellfish has been “milked” by excreting the dye from the hypobranchial gland.[3] Once this liquid was extracted, it would be implemented for the use of dying fabrics. In Oaxacan communities the milking of these organisms can garner up to 2.5 liters of dye per week.[4]

Distribution

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References

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  1. ^ a b Plicopurpura pansa (Gould, 1853). Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 24 April 2010.
  2. ^ Papanastasiou, Malvina; Allen, Norman S.; McMahon, Adam; Naegel, Ludwig C.A.; Edge, Michele; Protopappas, Stavros (March 2012). "Analysis of indigo-type compounds in natural dyes by negative ion atmospheric pressure photoionization mass spectrometry, dyes and pigments". Dyes and Pigments. 92 (3): 1192–1198. doi:10.1016/j.dyepig.2011.08.007. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  3. ^ López Chávez, Felipe Javier; Ríos Chávez, Patricia; Oyama, Ken (October 2009). "Brominated precursors of Tyrian purple (C.I. Natural Violet 1) from Plicopurpura pansa, Plicopurpura columellaris and Plicopurpura patula, Dyes and Pigments". Dyes and Pigments. 83 (1): 7–13. doi:10.1016/j.dyepig.2009.03.019. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  4. ^ Michel-Morfín, J.; Chávez, E.; González, L. (6 March 2002). "Population structure, effort and dye yielding of the snail Plicopurpura pansa (Gould, 1853) in the Mexican Pacific". Ciencias Marinas. 28 (4): 357–368. doi:10.7773/cm.v28i4.239. Retrieved 28 October 2021.