Queen Tegula Shell, Tegula regina

Queen Tegula Shell, Tegula regina. Shell collected off the beach of Bahía Concepción, Baja California Sur, October 2019. Size: 6.0 cm (2.4 inches) in diameter. Collection, photograph and identification courtesy of Bob Hillis, Ivins, Utah.

The Queen Tegula, Tegula regina (Stearns, 1892) is a gastropod mollusk that is a member of the Tegulidae Family of Tops, that is also known as the Regal Tegula. The shells are conical and wider than they are high with slightly concave whorls, the exterior is sculpted with undulating radial ridges, one-half the base is marked with low, curved ridges and the other half has smooth texture, and the operculum is round, sculpted with concentric circles. The exterior of the shell has brownish, grayish or yellowish-black sides, half of the base is black and white in color and the other half is nacreous white and yellow; an orange spiral surrounds the center of the base. Queen Tegula Shells reach a maximum of 6.4 cm (2.5 inches) in diameter.

Queen Tegulas are often found attached to vertical rock surfaces, but may be found on and within shale or sand substrate at depths between 6 m (20 feet) and 24 m (80 feet). They range from Southern California to Asuncion Island, Baja California Sur and are more frequent present around islands than along the coastline, especially in the northern part of their range.