Tulip Shell, Fasciolaria Tulipa

Tulip Shell, Fasciolaria tulipa. Shell collected offshore  at Bimini Island, Bahamas. April 1998. Size: 9.2 cm (3.6 inches) x 4.5 cm (1.7 inches). Collection, photograph and identification courtesy of Bob Hillis, Ivins Utah.

Phylogeny: The Tulip Shell, Fasciolaria tulipa (Linnaeus, 1758), is a member of the Fasciolariidae Family of Conch Shells, Horse, Spindle, and Tulip Shells. The genus Fasciolaria is one of sixty-eight genera in this family, and there are twenty-one species in this genus. They are  also known as the True Tulip.

Description: Tulip Shells are spindle shaped and consist of nine rounded whorls. They have a smooth surface, except for very fine growth lines. The aperture is large and elongate, with folds on the column. The siphon canal is widely open and moderately long. The outer lip of the aperture is thin, with fine denticles on inner edge. Their operculum is  thick and heavy. Tulip Shells vary in color from  cream to grayish to  light brown to reddish orange, all with irregular blotches of darker brown, white, or cream. Brown spiral lines run the length of the shell. The interior is cream to orange colored. The living animal is red or black, with white spots. Tulip Shells reach reach a maximum of 25 cm (10 inches) in length.

Habitat and Distribution: Tulip Shells are found in protected waters, on sand flats and in seagrass beds. They live intertidally and to depths of 73 m (240 feet). They are a subtropical to tropical Western Atlantic species. In Mexican waters they are found in the Atlantic Ocean along the entire east coast, in both the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean.

Ecology and Behavior: Tulip Shells are predators that feed primarily on other mollusks, including other Tulip Shells. They are prey for gastropods, sea stars, fish, and crabs. They are gonochoric and reproduce sexually,  with internal fertilization. The eggs are laid in protective capsules. There is no mention in the available literature of them engaging in any types of parasitic, commensal, or symbiotic relationships. From a conservation perspective they have not been formally evaluated however they are common and widely distributed and should be consider to be of Least Concern.

Synonyms: Murex tulipa and Neptunea laevigata