Cymbiola nobilis

Cymbiola nobilis (noble volute) is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Volutidae, the volutes. The snail's shell is commonly collected in the sea shell trade, which has resulted in overharvesting of the snail. The snail is a member of the phylum Mollusca, the class Gastropoda, the family Volutidae, and the genus Cymbiola. It was first discovered in 1786. Cymbiola nobilis is widespread in the South East Asia from Taiwan to Vietnam, Peninsular Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Philippines. Shells of Cymbiola nobilis can reach a length of 50–222 millimetres (2.0–8.7 in), with an average size of six centimeters. Females tend to be larger than the males. These fairy large, thick and heavy shells are glossy, with plaits on the columella. They have a wide variety of patterns. The shell colour may be beige, orange or yellow with a zig-zag red or brown pattern. Sometimes these shalls are completely black. The fleshy body of the snail is black with bright yellow or orange spots. Pigment producing cells infect nearby cells so that they also produce pigment. Cells that are infected once become immune to producing pigment again. As a result, the coloring of the snail's shell forms the characteristic pattern. This species lives in a marine environment and can be found on sandy reef flats and sandy areas near coral rubble and seagrasses. Populations of Cymbiola nobilis are present in small and isolated areas and are often close by, but separated by geographic barriers such as water channels. Each separate range has its own shell form and color pattern.