This creature was very inquisitive when Jeannie lifted it out of the water and as long as we were quiet it came out of its shell and had a good look at us, but the click of a camera made it retreat back into its shell very quickly, so its hearing is quite acute.
Unfortunately, each time I focussed on the snail ready to take a shot, David clicked his camera and it shot back into the shell.
Turbans differ from their close relatives, the Top or Trochus Snails, in having their trap door (operculum) heavily calcified to form a so-called ‘cat’s eye’. The Military Turban is one of the larger species of its family (Turbinidae), growing to approximately 100mm in shell length and is frequently seen sub-tidally by divers, sometimes sporting encrusting worm tubes or algal growths. Shells of the Military Turban or its cat’s eye operculum are often cast ashore after rough weather. Some specimens may feature short spines – possibly an indication of sexual dimorphism. Cat’s eyes of other species of Turban shell are coloured differently or may have elaborate sculpture and hence are useful for identifying species.
Indigenous: Eastern Australia (possibly restricted to coast from Southern Queensland to Sydney, New South Wales).
Holy cow.... thats huge
Great shot all the same and interesting information.