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Phylum
Mollusca
Class
Gastropoda
Family Cymatiidae
Tritons
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Tritons have solid shells with prominent spiral sculpture interrupted
by varices, vertical ridges that are remnants of the shell's aperture
from earlier stages of growth. There is a short siphonal canal at
the anterior end or base of the shell. Most live shells are
covered by a periostracum composed of brown bristles giving them a hairy
appearance. Tritons use corrosive
saliva to subdue and liquify prey including mollusks and echinoderms.
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HAWAII
Charonia
tritonis
Feeding upon Crown-of-thorns, Lana'i |
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TRITON'S TRUMPET
| Uncommon on ledges and walls at scuba depths. Feeds upon sea
stars. Up to 16 inches. |
Cymatium nicobaricum
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Kaunolu Bay tidepool, Lana'i
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Kaunolu Bay tidepool, Lana'i |
Kapoho Point, Kailua, Oahu |
Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu |
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NICOBAR'S TRITON
| Common under stones and sand
pockets at any depth.
Aperture is orange with heavy white teeth and columellar
folds. Feeds upon other snails by pumping acid into the prey's
aperture. Up to 3 inches. |
Cymatium mundum
GEM TRITON
| Occasional under stones in shallow water. Aperture and columella
are white. About 1.5 inches. C. gemmatum is a
synonym. |
Cymatium
aquatile
ORANGE HAIRY
TRITON
| Rare in Hawaii at scuba depths it is usually found inhabited by a hermit crab.
Aperture is pale orange. Columella lined with orange & white.
About
3 inches. |
Cymatium intermedium
HAWAIIAN HAIRY TRITON
| Fairly common under stones at any depth. Aperture pale
orange. Columella lined with black & white. Endemic to
Hawaii. About 2 inches. |
Cymatium pileare
HAIRY TRITON
| Rare under stones at any depth but prefers deep water. White
denticles extending into dark orange aperture. Columella lined
with brown & white. Up to 5 inches. |
Cymatium muricinum
PURPLE-MOUTHED TRITON
| Fairly common under stones in shallow water. The aperture is
purple and the siphonal canal is elongated. About 2.5 inches. |
Cymatium hepaticum
LIVER TRITON
| Very rare in Hawaii. About 2 inches. |
Cymatium rubeculum
RUBY TRITON
| Uncommon at scuba depths in coral rubble.
Color ranges from red to brown. Aperture is white. |
Cymatium
(Linatella)
succinta
CLANDESTINE TRITON
| Rare under dead coral and rubble in deep water. About 2 inches. |
Distorsio anus
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Kewalo Pipe, Oahu, 50 feet |
Kewalo Pipe, Oahu, 50 feet
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100 ft. Hole, Waikiki, Oahu, 85 feet |
100 ft. Hole, Waikiki, Oahu, 85 feet |
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ANAL TRITON
| Uncommon under stones at scuba depths. About 2 inches. |
Distorsio burgessi
BURGESS' TRITON
| Rare in sand over hard pavement at scuba depths. Endemic to
Hawaii. About 3 inches. |
Gyrineum pusillum
TINY TRITON
| Uncommon under stones at any depth. Strongly compressed.
About 1/2 inch. |
Family Bursidae
Frog Shells
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Frog shells are named for their rough texture that resembles a
toad. The have a siphonal canal like tritons but also a posterior
notch or series of notches that may form tubes along the aperture's
outer lip.
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Bursa bufonia
TOAD FROG SHELL
| Rare at scuba depths. About 4 inches. Posterior canals are
moderately long. Aperture is yellow. |
Bursa cruentata
BLOOD-MOUTHED FROG SHELL
| Fairly common under stones at scuba depths. About 1 inch. |
Bursa granularis
GRANULATED FROG SHELL
| Uncommon in shallow water under stones. Feeds upon worms.
Often inhabited by a hermit crab. About 3 inches. |
Bursa rhodostoma
ROSE-MOUTHED FROG SHELL
| Uncommon under stones at scuba depths. About 3/4 inch.
Aperture is pink. |
Bursa rosa
ROSE FROG SHELL
| Fairly common under stones. Has elongated posterior
canals. Aperture is purple and yellow. About 2 inches. |
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