About Monoplex pilearis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Monoplex pilearis, formally described by Linnaeus in 1758, has shells that reach a size of 38–140 millimetres (1.5–5.5 inches). The shells of this species are large, elongate, with a tall spire and a strongly inflated body whorl. Their surface is yellowish-brown, marked with chestnut-brown spiral ribs. The columella and aperture are dark brown, with white teeth. The outer shell sculpture is relatively fine, and the outer lip has long inner ridges that extend deep into the aperture. This species is widespread across multiple marine regions: it occurs in the Atlantic Ocean, the Red Sea, and the Indo-Western Pacific, ranging from East and South Africa to eastern Polynesia, north to southern Japan and Hawaii, and south to southern Queensland. Populations previously classified as Monoplex martinianus belong to this species, and occur from Florida (United States) south to Brazil, as well as at Bermudas, the Canary Islands, from Liberia to Gabon, and at Ascension Island. This tropical, benthic marine sea snail is found at depths between 0 and 50 meters. It mainly inhabits hard and coarse detritic bottoms in coral reef areas.
