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.