Shell with about nine somewhat rounded whorls, with a deep, well-defined suture, with irregular, impressed growth lines and revolving sculpture. This sculpture may consist of rather sharp, close ridges of various sizes, separated by concave furrows, or the surface may be scarcely marked by narrow, widely spaced grooves; the sculpture is stronger just below .the suture, where it always becomes slightly nodulous, and on the base of the shell; spire of moderate height; aperture elongate-oval, the outer lip lirate within and marked on its inner edge with dark lines, which are often elevated into slight ridges and end in toothlike projections; canal of moderate length, slightly reflexed, open; columella incurved, with two or three folds below. The color pattern is variable. It is sometimes ash colored, overlaid with irregular, dull-brown markings and blotches, which may be disposed in faint wide bands. In other specimens the ground is nearly white, with blotches and cloudings of pale chocolate, salmon, or reddish, the revolving furrows being marked with darker color. Length, 150; diameter, 65 mm. The specimens living in brackish water are more strongly sculptured, duller colored, and rougher than those found living on open beaches, and are probably worthy of a varietal name. The species is larger than the allied Cinctura lilium, with which it has been sometimes confounded, and is always somewhat sculptured below the suture, while lilium is not. As in the case of the Strombus pugilis, the more southeastern the locality the more pale the salmon coloration which characterizes the shell.

Shell fusiform with about 9 rounded whorls. Surface smooth, except for very fine
growth lines. Outer lip thin, with fine denticles on inner edge. Operculum thick, heavy. Colour: extremely variable, cream, light brown, to reddish orange with irregular blotches of darker brown, white, or cream. Brown spiral lines present. Living animal is bright orange.

Fasciolaria tulipa (Linnaeus, 1758) True Tulip
Distribution: North Carolina to Florida to Texas; West Indies; Brazil. Size: 250 mm (10 in).
Description: Color variable from grayish to greenish with many irregular, fine, spiral reddish-brown lines and splotches of brownish-orange; shape spindlelike; sculpture of many fine spiral threads with beaded threads at the sutures; axial sculpture of irregular, raised ribs; nuclear whorls smooth; aperture ovate, pointed above; inner area of outer lip denticulate. Habitat: On sand, in mud, and in seagrass beds at depths from just below the surface to about 73 m (240 ft).
Remarks: Preys on a variety of bivalves and gastropods but prefers to eat larger gastropods such as banded tulips and queen conch. See Wells (1970); Snyder and Snyder (1971); Andrews (1977); Rehder (1981).

North Carolina through Florida to Texas, and Caribbean to Brazil.