CASSIS CORNUTA – YELLOW HELMET SHELL – HORNED HELMET SHELL

Cassis cornuta Linnaeus

This is the elegant Horned Helmet shell, also known as the Yellow Helmet shell. The parietal shield and apertural lip are orange while the rest of the shell is a creamy white with short, broad stripes along the back of the outer lip. This shell has a short spire and a thick parietal shield that is usually large enough to envelop the apertural side of the body whorl. Large knobs form an arcs around the shell. Large teeth an be found on the thick outer lip of this shell.

This shell is found in the coral sands of the Pacific.

Horned Helmets in sizes greater than 11″ are extremely rare.