Common Name: Magnificent Volute

Distribution: Common throughout the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Endemic to Australia and distributed along the east coast from southern Queensland to Victoria.

Ecological Notes: Frequents sandy areas often adjacent to rocky or coral reef. Regularly trawled from depths to at least 229 m. Commonly seen by divers at depths or 5 m or greater.

Additional Notes: Shell large, light to heavy in weight, apex blunt. Whorls rounded or shouldered, with or without nodules on the shoulder. Columella with four strong plaits, outer lip smooth. Four darker brown bands around body whorl, colour may vary according to geographic location. Aperture length more than 3/4 the total shell length, interior orange. Grows to 35 cm, typically 25 cm.

References: The Seashells of New South Wales, Des Beechey, Senior Fellow, Australian Museum, Release 25. Website at https://seashellsofnsw.org.au/Volutidae/Pages/Cymbiola_magnifica.htm. Accessed 05/11/2018.