A truly magnificent orange-red parietal shield ornamented with white pustulation makes « Dennison's Morum » one of the most beautiful Moruminae species. A classic Carribean rarity first described from John Dennison's cabinet, it was selected as one of S. Peter Dance's 50 « Rare Shells » (1969) and was virtually unobtainable until the late 20th century. Somewhat variable in size, colouration, extent of shield pustulation, and strength of shoulder spines. The general form varies also according to size, with larger specimens becoming more elongated with weaker shoulder spines. A carnivorous and scavenging gastropod inhabiting sandy to muddy bottoms, it is usually found in rather deep water around -50~200m deep. Its geographic range is quite wide, from North Carolina, USA to as far south as Brazil. Most specimens are caught as by-catches of shrimp trawlers. Today it is still somewhat rare, and due to the high demand large specimens in good condition continue to fetch considerable prices. Typical shell length around 45mm., extremely large specimens may exceed 65mm.

Morum dennisoni (Reeve, 1842) Dennison Morum
Distribution: North Carolina, Florida, Texas; Brazil. Size: 51 mm (2 inch).
Description: Color yellowish-white with 3 interrupted reddish-brown bands on body whorl, parietal shield orangish-red with dispersed lightly raised bumps, inner surface of outer lip salmon; shape broad and oval; sculpture of numerous spiral, spinose-type ridges crossed by slightly raised, crowded axial, wavy, scalelike ribs that give a frosted appearance; nuclear whorl smooth; postnuclear whorls to body whorl shouldered with rows of spiral spines; aperture almost as long as shell; outer lip thickened and crenulate; base with a siphonal notch; anal notch at upper portion of aperture. Habitat: Muddy clay bottoms; found alive at depths from 30 to 90 m (100 to 300 ft). Depth range 30 to 370 m (100 to 1214 ft).
Remarks: Specimen 1 from HMNS collection; collected by Ode in 1982 at Claypile Bank at a depth of about 30 m (100 ft). Specimen 2 a fresh specimen from Florida Keys. See Dance and Emerson (1967); Petuch (1972).