Natica hebraea

Natica hebraea in situ

The Hebrew moon snail or Hebrew navel snail ( Natica hebraea ) is a snail from the family of moon snails that feed on mollusks. She lives in the Mediterranean and adjacent areas of the Atlantic.

Features

The ovate, inflated, rather thin -shelled snail shell of Natica hebraea that reaches up to 4.5 to 5.5 cm in length and a diameter of up to 5.1 cm in adult snails, has a smooth, shiny surface, at the interface with oblique radial furrows. The Nabelwulst is large and above divorced through a small incision of the grown, thickened part of the inner lip. The housing has a mouth Columellarrand and inside is dark brown. The basic color is white, but bluish back to the top and get darker, last black. In parallel with the growth lines run dark brown, interrupted by narrow whitish transverse bands welts. Along the seam runs a narrow milky white bandage. Umbilical region and inner lip are white, which appear adjacent to those brown stripes as square patches.

The operculum of the Hebrew moon snail is semi-circular, horny and calcified on the outside with numerous sharp ridges.

The Mesopodium and Propodium the screw surround the shell while crawling with the same width. Over the entire foot irregular indistinct brownish spots and stripes are distributed. The antennae are dark. The animal can not cover it with your foot throughout his body, only the lower edge is covered during creep.

Dissemination and lifestyle

The Hebrew moon snail occurs in the Mediterranean and adjacent areas of the Atlantic. Natica hebraea is on sandy soils of the Mediterranean very often. She lives below the intertidal zone. Like other moon snails feed on the nocturnal Natica hebraea of mussels and snails. The prey is includes with the foot and drilled with the radula a hole in the shell.