How related are they?
Same subfamily, Turbininae: close cousins
They split at the genus level: the Astrea Snail belongs to Lithopoma (star snails, astrea snails), the Chestnut Turbo Snail to Turbo (Turbo snails).
Find the Astrea Snail on the tree · Find the Chestnut Turbo Snail on the tree
Family lines, side by side
Highlighted rows are groups both animals belong to. The marked row is where their lines go separate ways.
| Rank | Astrea Snail | Chestnut Turbo Snail |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Animalia Animals | |
| Phylum | Mollusca Molluscs | |
| Class | Gastropoda Snails and slugs | |
| Subclass | Vetigastropoda top snails, turban snails, abalones and kin | |
| Order | Trochida Top and turban snails | |
| Superfamily | Trochoidea | |
| Family | Turbinidae Turban snails | |
| Subfamily | Turbininae | |
| Genus split | Lithopoma star snails (astrea snails) | Turbo Turbo snails |
| Species | — | Turbo castanea chestnut turban |
Care, side by side
| Fact | Astrea Snail | Chestnut Turbo Snail |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Invertebrate · Snail | Invertebrate · Snail |
| Care level | Easy | Easy |
| Reef safe | Yes | Yes |
| Temperament | Peaceful | Peaceful |
| Diet | Herbivore | Herbivore |
| Favorite foods | Film algae and diatoms on rock and glass, Cyanobacteria, Short hair algae and other microalgae | Film algae and diatoms on rock and glass, Hair algae and other soft algae (in moderation), Dried seaweed (nori) |
| Max size | 1.5 in (3.8 cm) | 2 in (5.1 cm) |
| Minimum tank | 20 gal | 20 gal |
| Temperature | 72–78 °F | 72–78 °F |
| Salinity (SG) | 1.023–1.025 | 1.023–1.025 |
| pH | 8.1–8.4 | 8.1–8.4 |
| Nitrate | 0–20 ppm | — |
| Lifespan | About 3-5 years in captivity according to one care guide (Aquarium Breeder). A Florida field study found L. americanum reaches full size within 2 years and has a short lifespan (Herbert et al. 2023), so many aquarium snails may be near the end of their life within a few years. | About 1-3+ years in aquariums (Top Shelf Aquatics); Saltcorner calls it generally not long-lived in the aquarium. The broodstock in a 1992 spawning report were about 3 years old. |
| Breeding | Very hard | Very hard |
| Conservation (IUCN) | Not Evaluated | Not Evaluated |