Blue Top Snail

Calliostoma ligatum

Calliostoma ligatum is a small gastropod with a conical, solid shell characterized by well-rounded globose whorls and smooth spiral cords. The shell's base is flattened, and it features a chocolate brown to mauve coloration with light tan raised cords. Typically, the shell reaches lengths of up to 24 mm. This species is found along the Pacific coast, from Alaska down to San Diego, California, inhabiting rocky areas and kelp forests in the low intertidal and shallow subtidal zones, usually at depths ranging from 0 to 30 meters. The Blue Top Snail is omnivorous, feeding on kelp, hydroids, diatoms, and detritus found on rocks and kelp surfaces. During reproduction, it engages in broadcast spawning, releasing eggs in delicate strands of mucus in warmer waters, typically from February to April. The larvae develop through several stages, including trochophore and veliger stages, before settling as juvenile snails. Encounters with this species while diving may reveal its unique behavior, such as its flight response to predators and its interactions with other marine organisms. Conservation status for Calliostoma ligatum is not evaluated, indicating that its population status is not assessed, and it is commonly found in various marine environments.