''Turbinella'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of very large

sea snail Sea snail is a common name for slow-moving marine gastropod molluscs, usually with visible external shells, such as whelk or abalone. They share the taxonomic class Gastropoda with slugs, which are distinguished from snails primarily by the ...

s with an operculum,

marine Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean. Marine or marines may refer to: Ocean * Maritime (disambiguation) * Marine art * Marine biology * Marine debris * Marine habitats * Marine life * Marine pollution Military * ...

gastropod The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda (). This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, from freshwater, and from land. T ...

mollusk Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is e ...

s in the subfamily

Turbinellinae Turbinellinae are a subfamily of large deepwater sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Turbinellidae.Bouchet, P. (2011). Turbinellinae. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php ...

of the family

Turbinellidae Turbinellidae are a family of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the clade Neogastropoda. Members of this family are predators. Distribution Species in this family are found worldwide, mostly in tropical shallow waters but some in deep wat ...

.Bouchet, P. (2011). Turbinella Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=204588 on 2011-04-27 These species are sometimes known as "chanks" or "chank shells". One species in this genus is the sacred chank, ''

Turbinella pyrum ''Turbinella pyrum'', common names the chank shell, sacred chank or chank, also known as the divine conch, sometimes referred to simply as a conch, is a species of very large sea snail with a gill and an operculum, a marine gastropod mollusk ...

''; see "

Shankha A Shankha ( conch shell) has religious ritual importance in Hinduism. It is the shell of any suitable sea snail which had a hole made for the performer's embouchure. In Hindu history, the shankha is a sacred emblem of The Hindu preserver god V ...

" for the cultural and religious use of the shell of that species.

Distribution

Species in this genus are found worldwide, mostly in

tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred to ...

shallow waters.

Description

Most species have massive shells with three or four prominent columellar plicae.

Species

Species within the genus ''Turbinella'' include: * ''

Turbinella angulata ''Turbinella angulata'', common name the West Indian chank shell or Lamp Shell, is a species of very large tropical sea snail with a gill and an operculum, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Turbinellidae. The name "chank" for the shell ...

'' (

Lightfoot Lightfoot may refer to: * Lightfoot (surname) * Lightfoot (lacrosse), Native American lacrosse player * Lightfoot, Virginia, an area of York County that is west of Williamsburg, VA * Operation Lightfoot, part of the Second Battle of El Alamein * ...

, 1786) * ''

Turbinella fusus ''Turbinella'' is a genus of very large sea snails with an operculum, marine gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Turbinellinae of the family Turbinellidae.Bouchet, P. (2011). Turbinella Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Marine ...

'' Sowerby, 1825
* ''

Turbinella laevigata ''Turbinella laevigata'', common name the Brazilian chank, is a species of very large sea snail with a gill and an operculum, a marine gastropod mollusk in the subfamily Turbinellinae of the family Turbinellidae.Rosenberg, G. (2010). Turbinella ...

'' Anton, 1838 * ''

Turbinella laffertyi ''Turbinella'' is a genus of very large sea snails with an operculum, marine gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Turbinellinae of the family Turbinellidae.Bouchet, P. (2011). Turbinella Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Marine ...

'' Kilburn, 1975 * ''

Turbinella ponderosa ''Turbinella'' is a genus of very large sea snails with an operculum, marine gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Turbinellinae of the family Turbinellidae.Bouchet, P. (2011). Turbinella Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Marine ...

'' (

, 1786) * ''

'' Linnaeus,

1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the sta ...

- the sacred chank or shankha * ''

Turbinella rapa ''Turbinella'' is a genus of very large sea snails with an operculum, marine gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Turbinellinae of the family Turbinellidae.Bouchet, P. (2011). Turbinella Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Marine ...

'' Lamarck, 1816 * †''

Turbinella regina ''Turbinella'' is a genus of very large sea snails with an operculum, marine gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Turbinellinae of the family Turbinellidae.Bouchet, P. (2011). Turbinella Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Marine ...

'' Heilprin, 1886
* ''

Turbinella wheeleri ''Turbinella'' is a genus of very large sea snails with an operculum (gastropod), operculum, marine (ocean), marine gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Turbinellinae of the family Turbinellidae.Bouchet, P. (2011). Turbinella Lamarck, 1799. Acces ...

'' Petuch, 1994
;Species brought into synonymy : * ''Turbinella armata'' Broderip, 1833: synonym of ''

Vasum armatum ''Vasum'', common name the vase snails or vase shells, is a genus of mostly rather large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks within the family Turbinellidae.Bouchet, P. (2011). Vasum Röding, 1798. Accessed through: World Register of ...

'' (Broderip, 1833) * ''Turbinella armigera'' Lesson, 1842 : synonym of ''

Reishia armigera ''Mancinella armigera'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk, in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.MolluscaBase (2018). ''Mancinella armigera'' Link, 1807. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species a ...

'' (Link, 1807) * ''Turbinella cassiformis'' Kiener, 1840: synonym of ''

Vasum cassiforme ''Vasum cassiforme'', common name the helmet vase, is a species of medium to large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Turbinellidae. Distribution ''Vasum cassiforme'' lives in the southeastern and northeastern littoral of Braz ...

'' (Kiener, 1840) * ''Turbinella cornigera'' Lamarck, 1822: synonym of '' Vasum turbinellus'' (Linnaeus, 1758) * ''Turbinella crenulata'' Kiener, 1840: synonym of ''

Peristernia chlorostoma ''Peristernia chlorostoma'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Fasciolariidae, the spindle snails, the tulip snails and their allies. Description The length of the shell attains 20.5 mm. Distribution This mar ...

'' (G. B. Sowerby I, 1825) * ''Turbinella globulus'' Lamarck, 1816: synonym of ''

Vasum globulus ''Vasum globulus'' is a rare species of medium-sized predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Turbinellidae, subfamily Vasinae, the vase snails.Rosenberg, G. (2010). Vasum globulus (Lamarck, 1816). In: Bouchet, P.; Gofas, ...

'' (Lamarck, 1816) * ''Turbinella leucozonalis'' Lamarck, 1822: synonym of ''

Leucozonia leucozonalis ''Leucozonia leucozonalis'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Fasciolariidae The Fasciolariidae, common name the "tulip snails and spindle snails", are a family (biology), family of small to large sea sna ...

'' (Lamarck, 1822) * ''Turbinella mitis'' Lamarck, 1822: synonym of ''

Vasum capitellum ''Vasum capitellum'', common name the helmet vase, is a species of medium to large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Turbinellidae. MolluscaBase eds. (2023). MolluscaBase. Vasum capitellum (Linnaeus, 1758). Accessed through: Wo ...

'' (Linnaeus, 1758) * ''Turbinella nuttingi'' Henderson, 1919: synonym of ''

'' (Lamarck, 1816) * ''Turbinella pugillaris'' Lamarck, 1822: synonym of ''

Vasum muricatum ''Vasum muricatum'', common name the Caribbean vase, is a species of medium to large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Turbinellidae.MolluscaBase eds. (2023). MolluscaBase. Vasum muricatum (Born, 1778). Accessed through: Wor ...

'' (Born, 1778) * ''Turbinella tuberculata'' Broderip, 1833 : synonym of ''

Leucozonia tuberculata ''Leucozonia tuberculata'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Fasciolariidae The Fasciolariidae, common name the "tulip snails and spindle snails", are a family (biology), family of small to large sea snai ...

'' (Broderip, 1833) * ''Turbinella tubifera'' Anton, 1838: synonym of ''

Vasum tubiferum ''Vasum tubiferum'' is a species of large predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk within the family Turbinellidae.MolluscaBase eds. (2023). MolluscaBase. Vasum tubiferum (Anton, 1838). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at ...

'' (Anton, 1838) * ''Turbinella variolaris'' Lamarck, 1822: synonym of '' Vasum turbinellus'' (Linnaeus, 1758) ;Species inquirenda: * ''Turbinella tuberculata'' Anton, 1838 (species inquirenda, Invalid: junior homonym of Turbinella tuberculata Broderip, 1833)

References

External links

Lamarck, J.B.M. (1799). Prodrome d'une nouvelle classification des coquilles, comprenant une rédaction appropriée des caractères géneriques, et l'établissement d'un grand nombre de genres nouveaux. Mémoires de la Société d'Histoire Naturelle de Paris. 1: 63-91

Perry, G. (1811). Conchology, or the natural history of shells: containing a new arrangement of the genera and species, illustrated by coloured engravings executed from the natural specimens, and including the latest discoveries. 4 pp., 61 plates. London.

Lamarck, J. B. (1801). Système des animaux sans vertèbres, ou tableau général des classes, des ordres et des genres de ces animaux; Présentant leurs caractères essentiels et leur distribution, d'apres la considération de leurs rapports naturels et de leur organisation, et suivant l'arrangement établi dans les galeries du Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle, parmi leurs dépouilles conservées; Précédé du discours d'ouverture du Cours de Zoologie, donné dans le Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle l'an 8 de la République. Published by the author and Deterville, Paris: viii + 432 pp.

Röding, P. F. (1798). Museum Boltenianum sive Catalogus cimeliorum e tribus regnis naturæ quæ olim collegerat Joa. Fried Bolten, M. D. p. d. per XL. annos proto physicus Hamburgensis. Pars secunda continens Conchylia sive Testacea univalvia, bivalvia & multivalvia. Trapp, Hamburg. viii, 199 pp
{{Commons category Turbinellidae