Lopha

Lopha is a genus of small to medium-sized sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Skeneidae. The genus was first described by the French zoologist Jean René Constant Quoy and Joseph Paul Gaimard in 1832. Lopha species are characterized by their smooth, rounded shells with a distinct, often spiral, sculpture pattern. The shells are typically white or cream-colored, with a glossy appearance.

The genus Lopha is found in the Indo-Pacific region, with species ranging from the Red Sea to Australia and the Philippines. These snails inhabit a variety of marine environments, including coral reefs, rocky shores, and sandy bottoms. They are known to feed on algae and other small organisms, using their radula to scrape and scrape food from surfaces.

Lopha species are of interest to both scientists and collectors due to their unique shell morphology and the diversity of their habitats. However, they are not considered to be of significant economic importance. Conservation efforts for Lopha species are primarily focused on protecting their habitats from human activities such as pollution and overfishing.