About Clithon oualaniense (Lesson, 1831)
This species, Clithon oualaniense, has a shell with highly variable coloration patterns. It is distributed across the Indo-Pacific region, with confirmed occurrences in Nansei-shoto (Japan), Hong Kong, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Jawa (Indonesia), the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Queensland (Australia), India, and Ceylon. It is also found in American Samoa, the Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, New Caledonia, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu. Clithon oualaniense is a eurybiotic species that lives on soft bottoms in intertidal habitats. It can occur at very high population densities; one recorded site held 347 snails per square meter, equal to a total biomass of 30.6 grams per square meter. It also inhabits Zostera japonica seagrass beds. This species is diurnal: individuals are active during the daytime and inactive at night. When the tide is high, Clithon oualaniense buries itself into mud, likely to avoid aquatic predators. When the tide is low, snails remain on the surface to feed and mate. Clithon oualaniense is herbivorous, feeding on microalgae and detritus.
