Turbo cornutus
Encyclopedia
Turbo cornutus is a species
of sea snail
, marine gastropod mollusk in the family
Turbinidae
.
. Due to an anatomical quirk of growth of gastropods, the anus is located on its head. As marine snails, they breathe through gills.
Turbo cornutus spawns from August to September, although the gonads begin to mature from May. Larvae have a very short period as free-floating plankton at approximately five days, after which they settle and begin to develop a shell. The planktonic and early shell-growing stages are highly dangerous times for young horned turban shells, and they are eaten in large numbers.
, where it is known as "sazae." After cooking, the corkscrew-like animal can then be drawn out of its shell using its hard operculum
, or hard, rocky lid, to which it is firmly attached. The operculum is not edible, and must be discarded along with the animal's shell after eating.
Since sazae is such a prized delicacy in Japan, and thus commercially important, natural populations are supplemented by artificially reared juveniles. Large numbers of animals are bred and then dumped into the open sea to complete their growth. The result of this is a reduction in the genetic diversity of the animal, which may leave it vulnerable to disease.
" are derived from marine animals and things relating to the sea. Sazae-san, the eponymous protagonist of these works was named after the Japanese name for turbo cornutus.
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 sea snail
Sea snail
Sea snail is a common name for those snails that normally live in saltwater, marine gastropod molluscs....
, marine gastropod mollusk in the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Turbinidae
Turbinidae
Turbinidae, the turban snails, are a family of small to large marine gastropods. Turbinidae have a strong, thick calcareous operculum readily distinguishing them from the somewhat similar Trochidae or top snails, which have a corneous operculum...
.
Description
The name "turbo cornutus" literally means "horned turban," and it is characterized by a hard, spiny shell. Also known as the horned turban shell, it has a large, thick, green-gray shell and a snail-like body. The shell has about five spirals, which turn counterclockwise and have horny protuberances. The thickness and shape of the shell and the horns vary greatly according to environmental conditions. The shell-opening is about 3.5 cm in diameter, and is green or red-brown. The inside lip of the shell is not smooth, but rough and granular. Turbo cornutus is one of the sea snails that develops an operculumOperculum (gastropod)
The operculum, meaning little lid, is a corneous or calcareous anatomical structure which exists in many groups of sea snails and freshwater snails, and also in a few groups of land snails...
. Due to an anatomical quirk of growth of gastropods, the anus is located on its head. As marine snails, they breathe through gills.
Habitat and Reproduction
Turbo cornutus can be found in relatively shallow coastal waters (up to 30 meters deep). It can be found around the Japanese islands from Honshu to Kyushu and Okinawa. It feeds on various kinds of algae. Young horned turban shells eat red-turf algae, while adults eat larger seaweed.Turbo cornutus spawns from August to September, although the gonads begin to mature from May. Larvae have a very short period as free-floating plankton at approximately five days, after which they settle and begin to develop a shell. The planktonic and early shell-growing stages are highly dangerous times for young horned turban shells, and they are eaten in large numbers.
Consumption and Environmental Consequences
Turbo cornutus is enjoyed as a delicacy in JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, where it is known as "sazae." After cooking, the corkscrew-like animal can then be drawn out of its shell using its hard operculum
Operculum (gastropod)
The operculum, meaning little lid, is a corneous or calcareous anatomical structure which exists in many groups of sea snails and freshwater snails, and also in a few groups of land snails...
, or hard, rocky lid, to which it is firmly attached. The operculum is not edible, and must be discarded along with the animal's shell after eating.
Since sazae is such a prized delicacy in Japan, and thus commercially important, natural populations are supplemented by artificially reared juveniles. Large numbers of animals are bred and then dumped into the open sea to complete their growth. The result of this is a reduction in the genetic diversity of the animal, which may leave it vulnerable to disease.
Popular Culture
The names of the characters in the Japanese comic strip and animated series "Sazae-sanSazae-san
is a Japanese comic strip created by Machiko Hasegawa. It was first published in Hasegawa's local paper, the , on April 22, 1946. When the wished to have Hasegawa draw the comic strip for their paper, she moved to Tokyo in 1949 with the explanation that the main characters had moved from Kyūshū to...
" are derived from marine animals and things relating to the sea. Sazae-san, the eponymous protagonist of these works was named after the Japanese name for turbo cornutus.