Pomaulax gibberosus

Pomaulax gibberosus, common name the red turban snail, is a species of medium-sized to large sea snail with a calcareous operculum, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Turbinidae, the turban snails.^[1]

Pomaulax gibberosus
Shell of Pomaulax gibberosus (Dillwyn, 1817), measuring 32.8 mm height by 42.6 mm in diameter, collected off San Pedro, in California
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Vetigastropoda
Order:	Trochida
Superfamily:	Trochoidea
Family:	Turbinidae
Genus:	Pomaulax
Species:	P. gibberosus
Binomial name
Pomaulax gibberosus (Dillwyn, 1817)
Synonyms[1]
Astraea gibberosa Astraea (Pachypoma) inaequalis var. pacifica Dall, 1919 Astraea guadalupeana Berry, 1957 Lithopoma gibberosa (Dillwyn, 1817) Lithopoma gibberosum (Dillwyn, 1817) Pachypoma inaequale Dall, 1909 Trochus gibberosus Dillwyn, 1817 (basionym) Trochus ochraceus Philippi, 1846 Trochus tectumchinense Noodt, 1819

Description

The shell of Pomaulax gibberosus is cone-shaped with whorls, and reaches up to 7.5 centimetres (3.0 in) wide and 5.7 centimetres (2.2 in) tall. The color is red-brown with brown periostracum.^[2]

Distribution and habitat

This species is found along the coasts of the Eastern Pacific, from British Columbia, Canada, to Baja California, Mexico. It inhabits the low intertidal zone to depths of around 80 metres (260 ft), where it is found on rocks and giant kelp.^[2]

Gallery

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  Pomaulax gibberosus, the shell encrusted with the red coralline alga Lithothamnion
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  Pomaulax gibberosus
• 
  A live specimen of Pomaulax gibberosus