Marine snails - 2, 1

On the right at the top is the Spotted tun, Tonna dolium, also know as Tonna tessellata. It is found in the Indo-Pacific in deep water where it feeds on fish, sea urchins and crustaceans. It is 8 - 12 cm long.

Below right is the Textile nerite, Nerita textilis. It is found in the Indian Ocean and Red Sea among rocks in the intertidal zone. It grows up to 5 cm long.

Spotted tun, Tonna dolium, Tonna tessellata and Textile nerite, Nerita textilis, marine snail
Distorted anus Distorsio anus, the Distorted anus, left and right has a rather unfortunate common name. It is found in the Indo-Western Pacific in shallow waters under coral where it eats echinoderms. Distorted anus, Distorsio anus, marine snail
, marine snail

The Radish murex or Black murex, Muricathus radix or Hexaplex radix is on the left. It is found in the western Pacific among intertidal rocks from the Gulf of California to Peru.

Giant eastern murex, Muricanthus fulvescens, on the right is found off the S. E. U. S. A. it can be found washed up on beaches from North Carolina all the way round to Texas. Adults can be up to 18.5 cm.

, marine snail
, marine snail

Snipe's bill murex, Haustellum haustellum, marine snailAbove is the Snipe's bill murex, Haustellum haustellum also known as Murex haustellum. It is found in the Indo-Pacific.

On the left is the Toothed murex, Haustellum dentifer, also from the Indo-Pacific.

Zambo's murex, Homalocantha zamboi, marine snail

On the left is Zambo's murex, Homalocantha zamboi, found in the Red Sea.

On the right is the Leather donax, Hecuba scortum, found in the littoral zone, usually in mud and sand in Central Indo-Pacific and South China Sea. Its length can reach 9 cm. The inner surface is a beautiful smooth, glossy violet/pink.

Leather donax, Hecuba scortum, marine snail
On the right is the Imperial volute, Cymbiola imperialis. Found in the southern Philippines on sand in shallow waters. It can reach 25 cm long. Imperial volute, Cymbiola imperialis, marine snail
Vexillate volute, Harpulina arausiaca, marine snail shell On the left is Vexillate volute, Harpulina arauciaca, found in the waters around Sri Lanka. This snail is also known as the Gold-banded volute. Bednall's volute, Volutoconus bednalli, marine snail shellAbove is Bednall's volute, Volutoconus bednalli, found in the waters around N. Australia. It is nocturnal.
The Hebrew volute, Voluta ebraea, on the right, is found around northern Brazil on sand, coral and rocks, from shallow water right down to around 70 m. It is eaten by humans and the shell sold commercially. It can grow up to 22 cm long, but large species are rarely found now; most are 10 - 15 cm long. It feeds on bivalves. Hebrew volute, Voluta ebraea
Syrinx aruanus, the Australian trumpet also know as the Giant whelk on the right is a huge snail, the world's largest, that can grow to 91 cm long and weigh 18 kg! It is found in the intertidal zone down to around 50 m deep around the northern Australian coast, southern New Guinea and Indonesia. It is carnivorous and feeds on polychaete worms. It has a long proboscis (up to 25 cm) and it uses this to reach into the tubes of its prey. Females produce large egg cases (15 cm), which they attach to rocks, shells or gorgonian corals. It is sometimes eaten by humans and is used for fish bait. Australian trumpet, Syrinx aruanis