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| shelled snails text index | photo index |
| Phylum Mollusca > Class Gastropoda > Family Naticidae |
| Ball
moon snail Polinices didyma Family Naticidae updated Feb 09 Where seen? This pearly white moon snail is commonly seen on our sandy Northern shores. Especially at night or on a cool day, usually busy ploughing through the sand in search of prey, near seagrass areas. Features: 2-3cm. The shell is spherical, the spiral tip not sticking out so that the overall shape resembles a ball (Didyma means 'testicles'). The shell is usually plain white sometimes with pearly pastel shades or irregular blotches of darker colours. There is a depression on the underside near the shell opening which is usually brown. The operculum is made of a horn-like material and is smooth and amber yellow. The body is white with more opaque white bands on the tentacles. Sometimes mistaken for the Oval moon snail (Polinices mammatus) that is easily distinguished by its oval shell which on the underside is completely white (no brown patch) and has a bump instead of a depression. What does it eat? This snail is often seen actively hunting button snails (Umbonium vestiarum). |
 Body much larger than its shell. Changi, Jun 05  Siphon the left of the banded tentacles. |
 Changi, May 05 |
 Close up of shell opening and operculum. |
 Side view, |
Ball moon snails on Singapore shores
 Chek Jawa, Jan 09  |
 Tanah Merah, Feb 07  |
 East Coast, Jun 06  |
 Chek Jawa, Mar 03 |
 Changi, May 05 |
 Changi, May 05 |
more photos of ball moon snails on Singapore shores
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