Wavey Turban

This is the shell of a Wavey Turban Snail. This is a very popular organism in the kelp forest and a pretty well adapted one. The rough area of the shell normally covers the entire carapace and it's roughness serves a purpose. It allows algae to colonize in the hopes that predators will swim right past without a second thought. It's pretty ingenious and works most of the time. This particular shell has been worn down to it's shine and has been cast up high on the beach. It was empty so I tossed it back to the ocean so it may once again become a temporary but well camouflaged home or simply break up into hundreds of pieces slowly turning back into what it first was.