Some years ago, when I was actively trading shells, a European collector
wrote me (yes, this was back in the days of writing on paper!) and asked me
if I had any "turret shells" I wanted to trade. I sent him the short list
of Turritella species I had on hand. A few weeks later I got a letter back.
He was not interested in Turritella (family Turritellidae) but in turrids
(family Turridae). Some time later a collector from Japan inquired about
turret shells. This time I didn't take any chances - I sent him a list of
both my available Turridae and my Turritellidae. Unfortunately he was
talking about Latiaxis! The scientific names are much safer.
Paul M.