Lotoria lotoria (Linnaeus, 1758)
Lotoria triton, 122mm

Lotoria lotoria is a large species that is moderately rare in the Marshalls. Specimens live primarily on lagoon reefs and pinnacles, either under rocks or exposed on the rocks or rubble. A couple have been found crawling through lagoon Halimeda patches. The exterior of the shell is bright orange to brown, but this is usually either worn away or covered with thick, calcareous encrustations that make it look like a lump of dead coral rubble.

This is more the way this shell is usually seen, blending in with its surroundings or covered with encrusting organisms. Only on young ones does the orange shell show.

Red sponge and green algae adorn the shell below.

Created 5 August 2010
Updated 14 March 2020

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