Fauna
Invertebrate

Australian Trumpet

Syrinx aruana

Also known as False Trumpet

Australian trumpets roam sandy and muddy seafloors across northern Australian waters, actively tracking large tube-dwelling marine worms. Reaching monumental proportions as the heaviest living snail on Earth, an adult extends an enormous proboscis up to three times its shell length to reach deep into sediment burrows. Females anchor elaborate fluted egg capsules onto hard substrates, from which fully formed juvenile snails emerge directly without undergoing a free-swimming larval stage.

MarineCarnivorousBenthic
Australian Trumpet reference
(c) Stephaniedancer, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyPolychaete tubeworms, Bristle worms
Predators
  • Loggerhead sea turtle
  • Large rays
  • Humans
ThreatsOvercollection for the ornamental shell trade and benthic trawling bycatch
HabitatsIntertidal and subtidal sandy mud flats down to depths of 50 meters
Life span20–40 years
Classification
  1. FamilyTurbinellidae
  2. SpeciesSyrinx aruana
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Observation etiquette: Leave live snails undisturbed in shallow water, as their massive soft body can tear under its own weight if lifted.
  • Shell stewardship: Never collect intact shells containing living molluscs or hermit crabs from the intertidal zone.
  • Tidal tracking: Search along sandy substrate at low tide for the broad, heavy furrows left by their slow movement.
Related species
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