Melongena corona (American crown conch)

The shell of this species is extremely variable in terms of the degree of spiny ornamentation. Some shells are much smoother than others. These snails cane as large as about 5 in (12 cm) long, and are mostly dark brown with irregular bands of white or cream. There are small spines on the largest whorl of the smoother forms,; the most spiny forms have several rows of spines. The aperture of the shell can be closed at will with an operculum. This snail is a predator; it eats other mollusks, including scallops. Range from East Florida to Northeast Mexico.