These large, smooth, oval, spiral-coiled shells are cream-coloured with orange-brown zigzag markings. They occur right around the Australian coast, and are harvested from the wild. Collectively they are known as Bailer Shells due to their use in some areas for bailing out boats.
The False Bailer Shell, with its distinctive orange foot, is the most common, found on sand and mud to depths of 180m, it is harvested by trawling and trapping off the south-east coast of Australia, including Tasmania.
A very similar, but less commonly seen, black-footed species is found along the NSW central and north coasts. Melon shells, also less commonly seen commercially, are found on and near reefs to depths of about 10m, their shells have several spikes on the end, which are absent in other bailer shells. Bailer Shells lack an operculum, the protective flap found over the opening of many univalves.