Large or moderate in size, tritons have thick, often extravagantly ornamented shells. Sometritons are tall, with a large body whorl. Most of the species have columellar folds, prominent varices, and teeth or folds on the outer lip. Many tritons are covered in a hairy periostracum; all have a thick, corneous opeculum. Some tritons have along, free-swimming larval period and are consequently widely distributed in warm, mainly tropical seas. The animals are carnivorous, usually feeding on other mollusks and sea urchins.