Turbo chrysostomus?
This highly polished Turban is showing a yellow interior. They are found in intertidal and shallow reef areas at depths to about 20 metres. Turban shells are benthic marine animals, which can also be found in tidal pools and weed-covered reefs.
This is apparently a specimen polished to remove the outer shell layers, for the tourist trade; shape looks most like T. perspeciosus, but the golden interior is associated with T. chryostomus; T. chrystomus usually has small, blunt spines on the outer shell, but conceivably these have been polished off this specimen. Most likely T. chryostomus.
Photo: Robert Whyte
Turbo chrysostomus?
Turbo snails are herbivores and spend the day foraging for algae. The generic name for Turban shells is turbo, which is Latin for spinning top.
Photo: Robert Whyte
