About Aplustrum amplustre (Linnaeus, 1758)
The shell of Aplustrum amplustre is typically 15–40 mm in length. Compared to other members of its genus, this species has a smaller, more heavily calcified shell. The shell displays a pattern of horizontal stripes: light brown stripes outlined in black alternate with translucent white and pink stripes. The soft body of the animal is too large to retract fully inside its shell. Aplustrum amplustre is nocturnal, and it is a predatory species that feeds on polychaete worms. Empty shells of this species are commonly used by hermit crabs. This species is distributed across warm tropical seas throughout the Indo-Pacific, with recorded occurrences including Australia, New Zealand, the area south of Kyūshū in Japan, the region from South Africa to Hawaii, Madagascar, and the Philippines. It inhabits shallow water up to 10 metres below sea level, living on reefs that have a mixture of fine sand, rock, and turf algae.
