The moon snails are also known as umbilical snails (Naticidae), which we can often observe in the Red Sea.
With a gelatinous mass produced by the snails, they combine their innumerable tiny eggs together with the finest grains of sand to form an artistic form.
The resulting spawning belt protects the eggs. After several weeks and a metamorphosis, the larvae hatch as small finished snails.
Although the sand collars are clearly visible on the seabed they are hardly noticed by the diver. This is why the formations are not to be found in the
books of identification commonly used by divers.
The snails from the Naticidae family are found exclusively in the sea.
Their habitat is in shallow water down to the deep sea.
They are hunters and feed on molluscs (bivalves and snails). Occasionally carrion and also their own species serve as food. (cannibalism).
When searching for food, the animals glide over the sand or plough through it, leaving their tracks.
