Guess who’s back after missing last week, it’s your local mollusk enthusiast!
This week is the colorful moon snail! These are found mostly in Florida but can range from North Carolina to the Caribbean and down to Panama according to some sources (I have never found one unfortunately although it’s one I hope to find someday!). They have stunning reddish brown stripes against an orange and white background, and unlike the Baby’s Ear Moon Snail, exhibit the round, raised whorls that are expected of moon snails.
Anatomy:
These colorful creatures have a defining feature: their operculum! If you remember, the operculum is the “trap door” to the opening of the snail, that seals it inside keeping water and predators out. In these snails, it is not the keratinous, brown/orange operculum that we have seen, but is actually made of Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) the same material as the rest of the shell!
Reproduction:
These make egg collars just like the Shark Eye Moon Snails! The circumference of the inner circle of the collar is the same as the circumference of the snail itself!
(These are the Shark Eye Egg collars).
Nutrition:
Just like all the other Moon Snails (except possibly the Shark Eye!), these snails are carnivorous, and eat in a similar manner as before. Their preferred prey are other shelled mollusks! These guys live in sandy substrates, and bury themselves during the day, but come out at night to feed!
"SIGHHH who do i have to eat? give me a name, time and place and uh... let me know who.. is it pierre? i hope its pierre, ive always wanted to know what he tastes like." WOOOOOAAAHHHH OKAY GAYSEXBOYHALO