The varied shapes and colorful patterns of the volutes make them the darlings of shell collectors everywhere. Most are solid and heavy, but they vary considerably in size and appearance; some species have several named varieties. They occur in warm and temperate seas, and are well represented around Australian coasts. A few species have small operculums, many have vertical folds or ribs, and all volutes have folds on the columella. Most of the animals burrow in sand and all of them are carnivorous.