What is "turbinella"

Turbinella \Tur`bi*nel"la\, n. [NL., dim. fr. L. turbo, -inis, a top.] (Zo["o]l.) A genus of large marine gastropods having a thick heavy shell with conspicuous folds on the columella.

n. (context zoology English) Any of the genus (taxlink Turbinella genus) of large marine gastropods.

Turbinella is a genus of very large sea snails with an operculum, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Turbinellidae.

These species are sometimes known as "chanks" or "chank shells". One species in this genus is the sacred chank, Turbinella pyrum; see " Shankha" for the cultural and religious use of the shell of that species.