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Lewis's Moon Snail
Neverita lewisii
33.3434, -118.325
Field Notes
Description:
The shell of this species can grow to 14 centimetres (5.5 in) across, the largest of the moon snails. It has an extremely large foot, which when the snail is active, is extended up over the shell and mantle cavity. Part of the propodium contains a black-tipped siphon which leads water into the mantle cavity. The cephalic tentacles, located on its head, are usually visible above the propodium.
When the animal retracts its soft parts into the shell, a lot of water is expelled, thus it is possible to close the shell with its tight-fitting operculum.
Habitat:
This snail is found intertidally and at depths of up to 180 metres (590 ft), usually ploughing through the substrate looking for prey.
Notes:
Neverita lewisii (previously known as Polinices lewisii, Lunatia lewisii, Euspira lewisii), common name Lewis's moon snail, is a species of large operculated sea snail. It is a predatory marine gastropod in the family Naticidae, the moon snails. Traditionally, this species was assigned to either the genus Lunatia, the genus Polinices or the genus Euspira. Recently, it was assigned to the genus Neverita based on molecular data.
This is the largest species in the family.
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