Snails Sea Slugs and Limpets: Gastropoda
Top Shell (trochus Niloticus): Species Accounts
Physical characteristics: This species has a large, cone-shaped shell with a wide base measuring 1.6 to 3.9 inches (40 to 100 millimeters) in height. The shell is marked with wavy, purplish pink lines These markings are sometimes covered by crustlike growths of algae.
Geographic range: This species is found in the warm, tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific.
Habitat: They live on coral reefs and in lagoons.
Diet: This species eats threadlike algae and diatoms.
Behavior and reproduction: Top shells are active at night.
Eggs and sperm are united in the water, where the produced larvae spend only a brief period of time.
The shell is marked with wavy, purplish pink lines and are sometimes covered by crustlike growths of algae.
Top shells and people: The flesh is eaten, and the shells are used for decoration.
Conservation status: Top shells are not considered threatened or endangered. ∎
Additional topics
- Snails Sea Slugs and Limpets: Gastropoda - Geography Cone Shell (conus Geographus): Species Accounts
- Snails Sea Slugs and Limpets: Gastropoda - Shield Limpet (lottia Pelta): Species Accounts
- Other Free Encyclopedias
Animal Life ResourceMollusks, Crustaceans, and Related SpeciesSnails Sea Slugs and Limpets: Gastropoda - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Gastropods And People, No Common Name (corolla Spectabilis): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, CONSERVATION STATUS