Laetifautor spinulosus
Laetifautor spinulosus, common name the spine top shell, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk, in the family Calliostomatidae within the superfamily Trochoidea, the top snails, turban snails and their allies. This Indo-Pacific species exhibits a distinctive conical shell with prominent spiral cords bearing acute, scalelike spines—a morphology adapted for stability in high-energy intertidal zones. Distributed from Japan to New Caledonia, it inhabits coral rubble and algal substrates at 5–50 m depths. Like many calliostomatids, it is a selective feeder on sponges and bryozoans, using its specialized radula to scrape prey. Molecular studies confirm its placement in the resurrected genus Laetifautor, distinguished by mitochondrial 16S rRNA sequences.