Common Name: Hairy Triton

Distribution: Common in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Distributed throughout subtropical and warm temperate seas in both northern and southern hemispheres. In Australia recorded from Jurien Bay in Western Australia, around the south of the continent to Cape Flattery in Queensland, and including Tasmania.

Ecological Notes: Frequents shallow reef habitat, rocky and muddy shores and in estuaries. Depth to at least 150 m.

Additional Notes: Shell sculptured with broad, low spiral ribs, the shoulder rib nodulose. Outer lip with about seven pairs or triplets of denticles. Columella dark brown with wavy, white lirae along its length. Shell covered with a thick brown, hairy periostracum when alive, operculum light brown and oval in shape. A known predator of bi-valves, is regarded as a pest around oyster farms. Grows to about 116 mm long.

References: The Seashells of New South Wales, Des Beechey, Senior Fellow, Australian Museum, Release 25.Website at https://seashellsofnsw.org.au/Ranellidae/Pages/Cymatium_parthenopeum.htm. Accessed 09/11/2018.