True Tulip
Fasciolaria tulipa (Linnaeus, 1758)
The True Tulip shell in good condition is a rare find on S. Hutchinson Island beaches, most tulip shells that make it on the beach are badly broken.
True Tulip (S. Hutchinson Island, November 2020)
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The True Tulip
Fasciolaria tulipa (Linnaeus, 1758) is one of the most celebrated local marine snails. Sometimes reaching in excess of 23 cm (about 9 inches), this voracious predator is known to feed on other mollusks and small invertebrates. The shell name alludes to its general shape, resembling a tulip (the flower.) The shell color is very variable, with variations around a theme of fine spiral bands and large irregular spots of orange, brown, reddish-orange, ochre, and similar colors. The animal itself is reddish or darker-red, with delicate lighter-color markings. The operculum is brown and oval-shaped.