Conuber sordidum

Conuber sordidum, Zoological Illustrations, Volume II, Plate 79, William Swainson (1821 ).

The Australian moon snail ( Conuber sordidum ) is a snail from the family of moon snails that feed on mollusks and decapods. She lives on the coasts of Australia and New Zealand.

Features

The approximately spherical shell of Conuber sordidum reaching up to 1.5 to 2 cm in length for adult worms, has a brown surface, a projecting thread and a purple - brown housing mouth. The umbilicus is small and partially covered by the inner lip.

Distribution and habitat

The Australian moon snail occurs on the east coast of Australia from Victoria to Queensland, also on the shores of Tasmania and New Zealand. She lives on sandy areas in the intertidal zone adjacent to mangroves and kelp.

Nutrition

Like other Moon snail eats Conuber sordidum mussels and snails, but also decapods such as crabs soldiers ( genus Mictyris ) and hermit crabs. Like the captured molluscs also the crabs are covered with the foot and drilled with the radula a hole in the tank. The tenacious mucus of the moon snail helps to immobilize the victims - much as do other moon snails with their prey. Although the snails are slower than the cancers, but take opportunities when the crabs dig out of the sand at low tide or accidentally hit the snail, and pack to her Propodium. Conuber sordidus is the first Mondschneckenart that has been observed in the capture and seizure of higher crustaceans.