An unknown shell found in Puget Sound

[fallpunk]

Hi,

This shell was found on Richmond Beach in Washington's Puget Sound area. I can't identify this shell. Please help me identify this awesome shell! Thanks!

The link to the photo:

<a href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/5334263" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/5334263">http://www.badongo.com/pic/5334263</a><!-- m --></a>

another view of the shell:

<a href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/5334273" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/5334273">http://www.badongo.com/pic/5334273</a><!-- m --></a>

Thanks so much for your help!

[paul monfils]

It appears to be Vasum turbinellum, a common Indo-Pacific species that is sold in grab bags in tourist shops worldwide.  Someone must have dropped it there.  Such common Indo-Pacific shells show up on Florida beaches pretty often.  People buy a plastic-wrapped basket of shells at a gift shop, then discard the ones they don't want - sometimes on the beach!  I found a Cypraea caputserpentis on the beach on Cape Cod, Massachusetts.  <span class="petit">--Last edited by Paul Monfils on 2009-04-18 06:43:52 --</span>

[fallpunk]

Thanks for the quick reply! Yes, I thought it did look like a tropical shell. Thanks again!

[paul monfils]

This species doesn't live in Hawaii, but it is one of the common Philippine shells that are exported by the ton for the tourist trade, and are sold in tourist shops around the world.  <span class="petit">--Last edited by Paul Monfils on 2009-04-12 21:19:06 --</span>