MARGINELLA

Family Marginellidae. One of the most beautiful families of the marine gastropods. Usually less than an inch in size, always highly polished, and with several strong teeth on the columella. Most of the 650 species live in sand in the tropics. West Africa has the most species.

TURRIDS

Family Turridae. Form the largest of all molluscan families in number of species. Hallmark is a notch or sinus in upper part of outer lip. Found in all seas from shallow water to abyssal depths turrids have a well-developed poison gland associated with the radula. Some harpoon prey in the manner of cone shells. Operculum sometimes present.

VASES

Family Turbinellidae. Heavy chank and vase shells have 3 to 5 strong, squarish spiral teeth on the columella. Most species feed on worms and clams in shallow waters of tropical shores. The operculum is chitinous and claw like. Eggs are laid in horny, circular capsules. There are about two dozen species. (These shells are often depicted in Hindu religious pictures and writings).

TRITONS

Family Cymatiidae. (Personiidae) Predominantly dwellers of tropical and warm waters, tritons include some of the world's largest living gastropods. Shells mostly thick and solid, often covered by a bristly periostracum. Operculum thick, chitinous. Egg capsules attached to rocks. As veliger larvae may be free swimming for up to 3 months, the wide distribution of some species is at least partially explained.

OLIVES

Family Olividae. Small glossy gastropods found in all tropical and warm seas. True olive shells (Olivia) do not have an operculum. Their shells are often extremely variable in colour pattern but are consistent in shape within a species.

CARRIER-SHELLS

Family Xenophoridae. Most carrier-shells cement sea floor debris to their shells, often obliterating surface features. Basically trochoidal in shape they are usually dull, coarsely ornamented and fragile. Corneous operculum assists animal in Strombus-like movements. Found in tropical and warm seas.

NASSA MUD SNAILS

Family Nassariidae. Mud snails (Dog Whelks) are shallow water, usually intertidal, mud dwellers. They occur in large colonies and are scavengers. A few species of several hundred live in deep water. The operculum is chitinous.

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