Shark's Eye

Neverita duplicata

Alternately called the moon shell or cat eye, the shark's eye is named because of the pattern of its body whorls. The early whorls are closer together, darker, and surrounded by paler whorls. This popular shell is smooth and porcelain-like. The underside is whitish and there is a chestnut brown lobe near the center of the underside.

The array of colors exhibited by the shell, while stunning and quite diverse, are difficult to categorize. As can be seen in the photo below.  The shell ranges from bluish gray to brown.  Some specimens have an eye that is not much different in color than the body.  The largest shell in the picture is representative of this group.  Others feature a highly visible eye that is lighter than the rest of the shell. The two smallest shells show this characteristic.  The least common form features a light eye surrounded by a darker "eyeball " which is in turn surrounded by a lighter background color.  This form is exhibited by the largest shell in the front row of the picture, the second from the left.  When this form is seen in the water from a distance, one could swear it is an eyeball. Many collectors search for the purple form which is the smallest shell in the picture.

The shark's eye is extremely interesting when found alive. The animal will extend its body so that it totally engulfs the shell, as shown by the live gastropods below.  The foot of the animal is inflated with water to accomplish this.

Shell Identification Guide

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