turris

Turris is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Turridae, commonly known as turrids. Members of the genus are predatory and many species produce venom delivered by a specialized radula. Turris comprises numerous described species distributed in various marine environments.

Shells of Turris snails are typically elongated and turreted, often with a high spire and many whorls. The aperture is elongated and the siphonal canal is well developed. Shell sculpture may include axial ribs, spiral cords, or nodes, and coloration ranges from plain to patterned; shells are sought by collectors.

Geographic distribution is broad in warm seas, with many species in the Indo-Pacific. They inhabit sandy and rocky substrates, coral reefs, and soft bottoms, typically from shallow subtidal zones to several hundred meters. They are active predators, using their venom to subdue prey such as polychaetes and other mollusks.

Taxonomy and fossil record: Turris has a long fossil history dating to the Cretaceous. The genus has undergone revisions as new morphological and molecular data refine its classification; many species described historically have been reassigned or synonymized.

Other uses: The name Turris is also used for a line of open-source network routers developed by CZ.NIC, including models such as Turris Omnia and Turris MOX, which run Linux-based Turris OS with emphasis on security and user control. The word itself is Latin for "tower."