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Home > Invertebrates
> Shells > Turbinate Shells
Updated 1/28/2026
Family Trochidae
Top Snails
| Tops shells are herbivorous snails that possess a thin yellow-brown operculum. The interior is lined with
mother-of-pearl. |
INDO-PACIFIC / HAWAII
| Trochus intextus
HAWAIIAN or
WOVEN TOP SHELL
|
Alcyna ocellata
OCELLATED TOP SHELL |
|
Calliotrochus marmoreus
MARBLED TOP SHELL
|
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INDO-PACIFIC
|
Monilea belcheri
BELCHER'S TOP SHELL
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Trochus radiatus
RADIATE TOP SHELL |
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Family
Plesiotrochidae
INDO-PACIFIC / HAWAII
|
Plesiotrochus
unicinctus
SINGLE-BANDED TOP |
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Family Tegulidae
INDO-PACIFIC
| Tectus
pyramis
PYRAMID or GREEN TOP SHELL
|
Rochia
nilotica
PEARLY TOP SHELL
|
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CALIFORNIA
| Norrisia
norrisi
NORRIS' TOP SHELL
|
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Family
Turbinidae Turbans
| Turbans are herbivorous snails that possess a thick calcareous
operculum called a 'cat's eye'. The interior is lined with
mother-of-pearl. |
HAWAII - ENDEMIC
|
Turbo sandwicensis
HAWAIIAN TURBAN |
|
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INDO-PACIFIC
|
Turbo petholatus
TAPESTRY TURBAN
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CALIFORNIA
| Megastraea
undosa
WAVY TURBAN
|
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Family Colloniidae
| These are essentially tiny turbans formerly included within Family
Turbinidae. |
INDO-PACIFIC / HAWAII
|
Microcollonia rubricincta
RED-BANDED TURBAN
|
Collonista
verruca
WARTY TURBAN
|
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Family
Calliostomatidae
| Shells have a chitinous operculum and until recently this group was a
subfamily of the Trochidae. |
NORTHEAST PACIFIC
| Calliostoma ligatum
WESTERN RIBBED or BLUE TOP SHELL
|
Calliostoma annlatum
BLUE-RING TOP SHELL
|
Family
Xenophoridae
Carrier
shells
|
These unusual snails inhabit soft bottoms, often in very deep water, and
camouflage themselves by adhering rock, shells, coral, and other hard
items. Most are dredged, trapped or netted. One endemic
subspecies occurs in Hawaii. |
HAWAII - ENDEMIC
|
Xenophora peroniana kondoi
HAWAIIAN CARRIER SHELL
|
|
INDO-PACIFIC
|
Xenophora cerea
ROUGH CARRIER SHELL
|
Xenophora japonica
JAPANESE CARRIER SHELL
|
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Family Modulidae
Modular Snails
| Modulids are herbivorous snails that possess a strong peg-like tooth on the columella. One species occurs in Hawaii. |
INDO-WEST PACIFIC / HAWAII
|
Indomodulus tectum
KNOBBY SNAIL
|
|
Family Vanikoridae
Vanikoro snails
| Vanikorids are small carnivorous snails rarely encountered alive in
rubble or dead coral. They have a turbinate shell with an umbilicus,
thin operculum, and hairy periostracum. Four species occur in Hawaii. |
INDO-PACIFIC / HAWAII
|
Vanikoro cancellatus
LATTICE VANIKORO |
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