Checkerboard Bonnet Snail

Phalium areola

Phalium areola is a medium-sized sea snail with an oval and acuminate shell that can grow between 35 mm and 130 mm in length. The shell is characterized by its white surface adorned with five series of large squarish red-brown spots, which give it its common name. The outer lip of the shell is folded back and features internal denticulations, while the shoulders are smooth without angulations or plications. This species is found in the Indian Ocean, particularly along the coasts of Madagascar, the Mascarene Basin, and southern Africa, including KwaZulu-Natal and Mozambique. It also inhabits regions in Melanesia and Samoa, typically residing in shallow subtidal waters at depths ranging from 0 to 7 meters. Feeding primarily on sand dollars, the Checkerboard Bonnet Snail is a benthic creature that thrives in tropical environments. It reproduces through a process of broadcast spawning, where embryos develop into planktonic larvae before maturing into adults. Encountering this snail while diving can be intriguing, as divers may observe its unique shell patterns and behavior in its natural habitat. Currently, the conservation status of Phalium areola is not evaluated, indicating that there is insufficient data to determine its population trends or threats.