It’s not hard to see why the shell pictured is called a turban although some in the family (Turbinidae) do not look much like the headwear they are named for.

The large Turban Shell (Turbo torquatus) is sometimes called the Sydney Turban although it is found all across the southern coast of Australia and up the east coast as far as the Queensland border. They are relatively common in rock pools near the low tide limit and in shallow areas offshore.

It grows to a height of 9cm but most you see are smaller. However, some that Nature Coast Marine Group snorkelers saw on our recent trip to Montague Island were about as big as they get.

The Sydney Turban has a very thick shell, made even stronger with spiralling ridges. Not only does this help them resist predators (except humans), but also gives better protection against battering by waves.

Turban shells have a hard white operculum that is attached to the upper side of the snails “foot”. When the animal withdraws into its shell the operculum seals the opening keeping out most predators. The Sydney Turban’s operculum is often seen washed up near rocky shores. The spiral ridges on the outer surface identify the owner.

Males and females are separate in this species, with about equal numbers of each. They breed near the rock / sand interface. Eggs and sperm are released into the sea several times each year with the peak breeding season in summer around February. The larval snails then spend some time in the plankton before settling.

Sydney Turbans are edible, and they were once important in the diet of local indigenous people judging by the proportion of shells found in coastal middens near our rocky shores. In parts of Australia they are still heavily fished and are threatened on some reefs near high population centres. The snails are now scarcer near Sydney than in most other parts of their range. Yet another reason that the common name Sydney Turban is not very appropriate.

There are size and bag limits for the collection of this species. The shell must be at least 75mm across its widest part and you are only allowed to collect a total of 20 marine snails including turban snails.