The Chestnut Turban, Turbo castanea Gmelin, 1791, is a relatively common species of gastropod mollusk from the shores of Southwest Florida. The shell may reach about 1 to 1.5 inches, and is clearly distinguishable from other local gastropods by, among other shell features, the very opening (the aperture), and its sculpture with rows of small, triangular spines. The color is typically of chestnut to light-brown markings on a white background, but there is a local variety with bright orange shell.
The Chestnut Turban, Turbo castanea, from Sanibel. The shell has not been cleaned, to show the "patina" of algae and colonial animals growing on it. Photo by José H. Leal.