Giant Triton [Hexaplex trunculus]
Description
The Giant Triton is a large species of marine gastropod. It has a shell that is characteristically thick and heavy for its size, with a short spire and large body whorl. The shell is marked with axially elongated, brown to black blotches that are arranged in spiral rows. The Giant Triton is commonly found in the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean but can also inhabit warm temperate and tropical seas. It is a predatory species that feeds on echinoderms, particularly starfish.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Mollusks
Mollusca
|
|---|---|
| Class |
Gastropods
Gastropoda
|
| Order |
Neogastropoda
Neogastropoda
|
| Family |
Murex snails
Muricidae
|
| Genus |
Hexaplex
Hexaplex
|