Species Spotlight: Moon Snail
For this week’s species spotlight we are taking a closer look at a species whose shell you might recognize! But, have you ever seen the animal inside? Policies heros, commonly known as the northern moon snail, is a species of large sea snail in the family Naticidae. This large snail is rather uncommon intertidally, but is much more common subtidally. This species, like all moon snails, feeds voraciously on clams and other snails.
Moon Snail
Polinices heros
The fleshy body of the Moon Snail is much larger than its shell!
Moon Snails will often be half buried in sand flats.
Moon Snail
Scientific Name: Polinices heros
Identification: The Moon Snail is a large light brown/beige/gray species of sea snail. It has a smooth round shell that is mostly taken up by the first whorl. The opening of the shell is large, with a large operculum (a rigid door like structure) on the foot that closes the shell shut, protecting the snail inside. Their foot is used for locomotion as well as digging for prey.
Diet: Moon Snails feed on clams and other snails. Their powerful foot enables them to dig under the sand in search of other mollusks. Upon finding one, it "drills" a hole into the shell with its radula (sharp tongue with teeth), releases digestive enzymes, and sucks out its prey!
Habitat: Northern Moon Snails can be found from Labrador, Canada down to North Carolina. They are commonly found in sandy, shallow waters in the intertidal and subtidal zones. They have also been found at depths of up to 1200 feet!
Find this Species: You can find this species half buried in the sand scavenging in beach flats, but more commonly, you can find their shells washed up on the shores of sandy beaches!
Interesting Facts: Moon snails reproduce by laying eggs. A female moon snail will lay thousands of eggs which are encased in a structure made out of mucus and sand, often called a sand collar. Larvae are released into the water as plankton once they hatch. These egg masses often wash up on beaches and feel as if they are made of flexible plastic.
If you happen to find a clam shell washed up on the beach with a near perfect hole in it, chances are it was made by a moon snail! This hole is referred to as a countersunk hole.
Did you know that as the snails grow, their shells grow with them? When they die their shell is left behind for hermit crabs or other marine species!
Predators include larger snails, including other moon snails, birds, fish, and crabs.
