THE STEINHART AQUARIUM - Gulf of Guinea Science ...

Black Turban Snail
Tegula funebralis (Trochidae)
Distribution: Vancouver Island, Canada to
Central Baja California.
Habitat: Tide pools and on rocks in middle
intertidal of protected areas.
Appearance: Shell dark purple to black. Diameter
to 3 cm. Males tend to have a pale foot
while females have a dark foot.
Diet: Opportunistically grazes upon brown
algae, microscopic films, attached macroalgae
and wrack. Prefers soft algae such as giant kelp
(Macrocystis), bull kelp (Nereocystis), and turkish
towel (Gigartina). Very young snails graze
on the film of microscopic algae on rocks.
Reproduction and Development: Sexes are
separate. Females deposit eggs in gelatinous
masses, each containing several hundred
eggs. Veliger larvae hatch from the mass on
the seventh day. Larvae settle one week later.
Mortality/Longevity: Preyed upon by humans,
sea otters, the red rock crab (Cancer
productus), and especially the ochre sea star
(Pisaster ochraceus). May live to 20–30 years,
extremely old for a gastropod.
Remarks: Formerly popular as food with
Native Americans.
Brown Turban Snail
Tegula brunnea (Trochidae)
Distribution: Oregon to Santa Barbara Island,
California.
Habitat: Rocky shore, low intertidal to subtidal
deep tidal lagoon and surge channel
subhabitats, often on upper blades and stipes
of subtidal kelp.
Appearance: Shell color orange or bright
brown. Shell is smooth and rounded, diameter
to 3 cm.
Diet: Opportunistically graze upon brown algae
including Macrocystis, Egregia and Laminaria.
Reproduction and Development: Sexes are
separate.
Mortality/Longevity: Preyed upon by sea stars
of Pisaster spp., the crab Cancer antennarius,
and sea otters.
Blue Ring Top Snail
Calliostoma annulatum (Callistomatidae)
Distribution: Found inshore on brown algae
and on rocks; offshore on kelp forests.
California Academy of Sciences
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Habitat: Found inshore on brown algae and
on rocks; offshore on kelp forests.
Appearance: Cone-shaped yellow shell with
purple bands along the beaded spiral; foot
bright orange or yellow. Diameter to 2.5 cm.
Diet: Hydroids, encrusting bryozoans,
detritus, diatoms, dead fish; also known to
feed on club-tipped anemones (Corynactis
californica).
Reproduction and Development: Separate
sexes; broadcast sperm and eggs into the sea
where fertilization occurs.
Remarks: When attacking an anemone, the
blue ring top snail rears up on its foot, lunges,
and bites at one of the anemone’s tentacles.
The foot regularly discharges a mucous layer
on the shell which apparently makes the
animal more difficult for predators to grasp.
Blue Top Snail
Calliostoma ligatum (Callistomatidae)
Distribution: Eastern Pacific: Alaska to Baja
California.
Habitat: Brown algae inshore on rocks and
offshore kelp forests.
Appearance: Cone-shaped yellow shell with
purple bands along the beaded spiral; foot
bright orange or yellow. Diameter to 2.5 cm.
Diet: Omnivore; feeds on kelp, hydroids, encrusting
bryozoans, detritus, diatoms, dead fish.
Reproduction and Development: Separate
sexes; broadcast sperm or eggs into the sea
where fertilization occurs.
Red Top Snail
Lithopoma gibberosum (Turbinidae)
Distribution: British Columbia to Baja
California.
Habitat: Low intertidal rocks and subtidal
kelp beds.
Appearance: Squat, cone-shaped, brick-red
shell often overgrown by algae or hydroids.
Diameter to 12 cm.
Diet: Algae.
Reproduction and Development: Broadcast
spawners. Little is known about their biology.
Wavy Turban Snail
Lithopoma undosum (Turbinidae)
Distribution: Eastern Pacific: Point Conception
to northern Baja California.