Although the most common cowry species throughout most of the Indo-Pacific, in Hawaii Monetaria moneta is relatively uncommon. Specimens we saw in the 1970s and 80s were under rocks in a half meter of water or less along shallow reefs at Kewalo Basin and Hauula. Passing through Honolulu in 2009, we saw several specimens in a few minutes snorkeling along the rubbly beach at Ala Moana Park, an area we had not previously investigated; perhaps they are getting more common, or that was just a prime habitat.
