Turban Shells of the Turbinidae Family

Five Turban Shells of the Turbinidae Family can be found in this website:

Phylogeny: Turban Shells of the Turbinidae Family are gastropod mollusks in the order Trochida. The superfamily Trochoidea is the only superfamily in this order. The family Turbinidae is one of thirteen families in the Trochoidea superfamily.  The Turbinidae Family is of moderate size and consists of two subfamilies, eighteen genera, and around one hundred sixty-four species. These shells are also commonly called Turbinids.

Description: Turban Shells are of solid construction, are of small to large size, and are turbinate or cone-shaped. The whorls may be rounded or flat-sided.  Their exterior may be smooth or sculpted with spiral or axial cords, ridges, knobs, or spines. The axial ridges are often wavy. Their aperture is round and their interior is nacreous (mother of pearl). The outer lip is smooth internally, and the columella is smooth and curved. Some species have an umbilicus. The operculum is heavy and calcareous. The periostracum may be thick to absent. The largest species in this family can exceed 20 cm (8 inches) in length.  Turban Shells are very similar to  shells in the Tegulidae Family of Top Shells, but differ in that they have a calcareous operculum instead of a corneous operculum.

Habitat and Distribution: Turban Shells are found on hard substrates such as rocks and coral, sand, and plants. They live in the intertidal zone and at depths up to 500 m (1,640 feet). Turban Shells are found worldwide in tropical to polar seas.  At least twenty-three species from this family are found in Mexican waters.

Natural History: Most Turban Shells are herbivores that graze on algae which they scrape from hard surfaces by using their radula. In turn they are preyed upon by shorebirds, crabs, fish and carnivorous mollusks. Turban Shells are gonochoric and reproduce with external fertilization.  Turban Shells are named after a child’s toy and not turban headdresses. The Latin word “Turbo” means “spinning top” and is the same root word for the word “turbine”, referencing the spiral pattern. Turban Shells are edible and are commercially harvested and farmed in some regions.