From a photo by H. Zell. Bolinus cornutus, or Horned Murex, is a predatory species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, often referred to as the murex or rock snails. It is common along the west coast of Africa, where it prefers moderately shallow waters. The shell of the snail is distinctively large, spiny, and club-shaped, usually pale brown or tan in colour, with an elongated and straight siphonal canal.
The Bolinus cornutus snail inhabits moderately shallow waters and prefers gravelled or rocky substrate. It is carnivorous and predatory.
Although not as widely utilised as other Murex species, such as Bolinus brandaris, B. cornutus is one of the sea snail species from which a rich purple dye, generally referred to as Tyrian purple, can be extracted. The dye is a mucus from the snail's hypobranchial gland, which is secreted for defence and as an aid in predation.