Fusitriton oregonensis
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Fusitriton oregonensis Redfield, 1848 |
The Oregon Hairy Triton (Fusitriton oregonensis) is a carnivorous marine snail native to the Northwestern coast of North America. The shells are found from Alaska to California, as well as northern Japan, and often wash up on the coast at high tide.
The shells grow to lengths of up to five inches. The shell is a light brown color, and is covered with gray-brown bristles, hence the name "hairy". Little is known of their feeding habits, but they are believed to feed on sea urchins and mollusks.
The Oregon hairy triton was declared the state seashell of Oregon in 1989 by the Sixty-fifth Legislative Assembly.