Sulculus diversicolor supertexta; a species of abalone
A small abalone-like marine snail found in Japanese waters. Often distinguished from true abalone (アワビ) by its smaller size and more elongated shell.
Tokobushi are smaller than abalone and are often found on rocky shores.
Around here, tokobushi are sometimes called 'nagareko'.
アワビ (abalone) is larger, has a more rounded shell, and is more commonly eaten as high-grade seafood. トコブシ is a related but distinct species, often considered less premium.
Katakana spelling is common for this species name; usually written in kana.
Ateji kanji form; rarely used in modern writing.
Ateji kanji form; rarely used in modern writing.
The origin of とこぶし is uncertain. The kanji forms 常節 and 床伏 are ateji and do not reflect the etymology.