Shell Feature: Shark Eye

The most commonly found moon snail shell in Florida is the shark eye. These attractive shells are easy to spot on the beach due to their distinctive round shape. The fun spiral mimics the look of an eyeball! The shark eye shells found on the gulf coast are smaller than the shells found on the east coast of Florida. Many of the ones I've found on Sanibel are around the size of a quarter or a little larger.

Scientific name of the shark eye: Neverita duplicata
​The shark eye snail is found on sandy shores below the low tide line.
Coloring: brown, tan, orange and grey hues, often with a blue-ish center.
Size: up to about 3.5 inches

Shark eyes are predatory snails, feeding mainly on bivalves. The snails drill holes through the shell of their prey. The shark eye can be found from Massachusetts through Florida and as far south as Honduras, as well as areas of the Gulf.