Channeled Topsnail

Calliostoma canaliculatum

Channeled Topsnail is a small sea snail characterized by its thin, conical shell that ranges in size from 16 mm to 39 mm. The shell is typically white to buff, featuring raised spiral ribs with brownish interspaces and a small blue stain near the columnella. The spire is conic with nearly straight outlines, containing 7 to 8 whorls, and the aperture is rhombic and iridescent. This species can be distinguished from similar snails by its sharply sculptured lirae and the unique coloration of its shell. This species is found along the Northeast Pacific coast, from Sitka, Alaska, to Camalu in northern Baja California, Mexico. It inhabits rocky areas and kelp leaves, primarily in deeper waters off reefs, with a depth preference of less than 40 meters. Channeled Topsnails are often encountered in environments rich in kelp, where they can be seen grazing on algae and other organic matter. Reproduction occurs via broadcast spawning, with embryos developing into planktonic trocophore larvae before maturing into adults. Encounters with Channeled Topsnails during dives can be common, especially in suitable habitats, providing divers with opportunities to observe their unique shell structure and behavior. The conservation status of this species is currently not evaluated.