Cassis madagascariensis is a species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 of very large sea snail

Sea snail

Sea snail is a common name for those snails that normally live in saltwater, marine gastropod molluscs....

, a marine

Marine (ocean)

Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology...

 gastropod mollusc in the family Cassidae, the helmet shells and bonnet shells.

Distribution

This species occurs in the tropical Western Atlantic. The specific name "madagascarensis" literally means "of Madagascar", but this was a misunderstanding of the type locality by the original author.

Human uses

Shells of Cassis madagascariensis are used in jewellery to make cameos.