Above : Clypeomorus coralium, Coral horn shell, 25 mm.
Below left : Cerithium echinatum, Spiny horn shell, 42 mm.
Below center : Pseudovertagus aluco, Aluco horn shell, 57 mm.
Below right : Rhinoclavis sinensis, Obelisk horn shell, 46 mm.
Horn shells are a large group characterized by an upturned canal in their shell that protects the siphon and allows them to live just beneath the surface of the sand. They are some of the most commonly-seen and abundant seashells in shallow water. At shallow depths the smaller species prefer to live in sand pockets and calm, protected bays, while the larger species are normally found in open sand beyond the reef.
These shallow-water dwellers can best be seen in the early morning before wind-driven waves and tides obliterate the trails left in the sand from the evening's foraging. The trails of deeper-water dwellers can be found throughout the day.
All are algae and detritus feeders and are common prey for predatory mollusks, especially moon shells which drill a hole through the shell and extract the animal. Hundreds of drilled horn shells, occupied by hermit crabs, can sometimes be seen on the reef flat at low tide.
Authority : Tropical Seashells of Indonesia
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