Turbo castanea
The Chestnut Turban Snail is a common gastropod in Southwest Florida. The “turbo” in its Latin name means “spinning top”. And the “castanea” is the Latin name for “chestnut”.
The shell can grow to 1.5 inches. Although the shell is normally brown, there is a variety with a bright orange shell. It can be distinguished from other gastropods by the shell's turban shape and the round shaped shell opening (aperture).
Turban Snails are found in shallow water among and under rocks. These snails are popular with aquarium enthusiasts for their ability to clean large amounts of algae, green slime and diatoms (single-celled algae) from their fish tanks.
These snails are edible, but because of their tough flesh and small size, they are not often harvested.
Live shells should never be taken from any Florida State Park.