Charonia tritonis (1) cm 21 Seashell Sea Snail Gastropod Triton

Charonia tritonis mm 280 Seashell Sea Snail Gastropod Triton, only a piece, as in pictures.
Sea Triton, giant shell also used as a musical trumpet.
Family: Charoniidae.
Common name: Triton's Trumpet or The Giant Triton.
Syn. Eutritonium tritonis, Murex tritonis, Cymatium (Septa) tritonia, Triton marmoratum, Triton umbricata.

The common name "trumpet of Triton" derives from the Greek god Triton, who was the son of Poseidon, god of the sea. The god Triton is often depicted blowing a large shell horn similar to this species.
This genus is known in fossil remains since the Cretaceous Period, in the marine layers all over the world.
Adult newts are active predators and feed on other mollusks and starfish. The giant newt is known for its ability to catch and eat a large starfish (up to 1m in diameter) covered with poisonous spikes. The crown of thorns starfish has few other natural predators and is considered harmful because it is proliferating and destroying large sections of coral reefs.
Tritons hunt them when they smell their prey. Some starfish (including the crown of thorns) appear to be able to detect the mollusk's approach by means that are not clearly understood, and attempt to escape before any physical contact has taken place. Newts, however, are faster than starfish, and only the largest have any hope of escape, abandoning the arm that the snail grabs first.
The newt grabs its prey with its muscular foot and uses its radula (a serrated, scraping organ typical of gastropods) to carve the armored skin of the starfish. Once penetrated, a paralyzing saliva subdues the prey and the snail feeds at will, often starting with the softer parts such as the gonads and intestines.
Newts ingest whole smaller animals without worrying about paralyzing them and will later spit out any poisonous spines, shells, or other unwanted parts.