Charonia tritonis, common name Triton's trumpet, is a species of very large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Ranellidae, the tritons.

Also see Charonia or Triton (mollusk).

Distribution

This species is found throughout the Indo-Pacific oceans.

Two views of a shell of Charonia tritonis.

A shell of Charonia tritonis, dorsal view

Charonia tritonis in Guam with sea cucumber

Human use

The shell is well known as a decorative object, and is sometimes modified for use as a trumpet (such as the Japanese horagai).

C. tritonis is one of the few animals that feeds on the crown-of-thorns starfish, Acanthaster planci. Occasional plagues of this large and destructive starfish have killed extensive areas of coral on the Great Barrier Reef of Australia and the western Pacific reefs. There has been much debate on whether such plagues are natural or are caused by over-fishing of the few mollusks and fish that can eat this starfish. In 1994, Australia proposed that Charonia tritonis should be put on the CITES list, thereby attempting to protect the species.

Because of a lack of trade data concerning this seashell, the Berne Criteria from CITES were not met and the proposal was consequently withdrawn. While this species may be protected in Australia it can be legally traded and is found for sale in almost every shell shop in the world and on the Internet.

References

• Powell A W B, New Zealand Mollusca, William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979 ISBN 0-00-216906-1