Commercial Top
Rochia nilotica
- Group: Other
- Typical depth: 0–20 m
- Max size: 15 cm
- For divers: safe
The commercial top is the most valuable gastropod in the tropical West Pacific, prized both as food and as a source of mother of pearl for buttons and jewellery. Its broad shell reaches about fifteen centimetres on shallow reefs to twenty metres, and heavy fishing has forced many islands to bring in management rules.
Taxonomy: Animalia › Mollusca › Gastropoda › Trochida › Tegulidae › Rochia
Species data via the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS), AphiaID 1251282.
FAQ
- How deep does the Commercial Top live?
- The Commercial Top (Rochia nilotica) is typically found at 0–20 m.
- Is the Commercial Top dangerous to divers?
- The Commercial Top is harmless to divers.
- How big does the Commercial Top get?
- The Commercial Top grows to about 15 cm.